sashay

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verb

sa·shay sa-ˈshā

also sī-

sashayed; sashaying; sashays

Synonyms of sashay next

intransitive verb

: to strut or move about in an ostentatious or conspicuous manner

The model sashayed down the runway.

Rinna is sashaying down a street in one of Sutton's designer gowns for some reason!—

Jodi Walker

Her friends had long whispered to her about Lute's sleek good looks, and the way he sashayed about the island as if he owned it.—

Dorothy West

: walk, glide, go

Fans should enjoy Mexico goalie Jorge Campos, with his pink-and-lime-green outfits and the way he sashays upfield, far from his goal, when the spirit moves him.—

The New York Times

With his cowboy wisdom and irreverent wit, he sashayed into America's heart early this century and has remained there ever since.—

People Weekly

: to proceed or move in a diagonal or sideways manner

The hook dangling from the airplane's tail is supposed to clear the ramp by at least 10 feet; but the ramp itself, in heavy seas, may be rising and falling 15 feet and sashaying side to side in a figure-eight as well.—

Peter Garrison

: to make a chassé

sashay

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noun

: trip, excursion

: a square-dance figure in which partners sidestep in a circle around each other with the man moving behind the woman

: chassé

Did you know?

Orthographically, there's no denying that chassé is French. It is from the French past participle of chasser, meaning "to chase," and it danced into English in the beginning of the 19th century. As the word gained popularity in America, people often had difficulty pronouncing and transcribing its French rhythms. It wasn't long before sashay had begun to appear in print in American sources. Authors such as Mark Twain, Zora Neale Hurston, and John Updike have all since put their names on the word's dance card and have enjoyed the liveliness and attitude sashay adds to descriptions of movement. They and many, many others have helped sashay slide away from its French dance origins to strut its stuff in descriptions of various walks and moves.

Example Sentences

Verb The model sashayed down the runway. She sashayed into the room. Noun just a little weekend sashay we took to get away from it all

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The final five drag queens — Bosco, Daya Betty, Lady Camden, Willow Pil and Angeria Paris VanMicheals — compete, but only one will sashay away with the cash and the crown as the reality competition wraps its 14th season. —

Matt Cooperlistings Coordinator, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2022 AJ Allmendinger would love to sashay out of Phoenix Raceway with his first career NASCAR championship and cap a season of a lifetime with the biggest prize in the Xfinity Series. —

Mark Heim | Mheim@al.com, al, 6 Nov. 2021 The women who sashay through the newsrooms show plenty of leg and spout lots of sass. —

Thomas Doherty, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2022 In the first two episodes, available to watch now on Paramount+, the opulent contestants will try to sashay their way back into the good graces of the judges. —

oregonlive, 19 May 2022 During this final episode, which queens will slay and which will sashay away? —

oregonlive, 30 Sep. 2022 On Friday's season finale of the VH1 reality competition series, host and head judge RuPaul welcomes back the six celebs who were asked to sashay away in weeks prior. —

Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 28 Sep. 2022 But one star was sadly left all alone when she was asked to sashay away from the competition. —

Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 2 Sep. 2022 She was saved, Jackie being asked by RuPaul to sashay away. —

Dave Quinn, Peoplemag, 26 Aug. 2022

Noun

Sagittarius season begins on November 22 as the Sun enters the Archer’s court for a monthlong sashay through your eleventh house of group activity and friendship. —

ELLE, 30 Nov. 2022 Platforms, knee-high boots, booties and daunting stilettos sashay across a scuffed floor. —

Daniela Franco Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 24 June 2022 Platforms, knee-high boots, booties and daunting stilettos sashay across a scuffed floor. —

Daniela Franco Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 24 June 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sashay.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.