as in wise
displaying or marked by rude boldness
a cocky young actor who thought that he was God's gift to the theater
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Recent Examples of cocky
Matthews too recalled Salamone as abrasive and cocky.
—
J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
That album was all about funk, swagger, and celebration, with Mars positioning himself as the lovable, slightly cocky entertainer bringing the good times.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Marty Supreme follows a wildly gifted, unapologetically cocky aspiring table tennis superstar named Marty Mauser (Chalamet), grinding it in Lower Manhattan circa 1952.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
As a rule, cornerbacks are a cocky bunch and thus good at pressers.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
J.c. Hallman, Oklahoma Watch, 13 Jan. 2026
That album was all about funk, swagger, and celebration, with Mars positioning himself as the lovable, slightly cocky entertainer bringing the good times.
—Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Marty Supreme follows a wildly gifted, unapologetically cocky aspiring table tennis superstar named Marty Mauser (Chalamet), grinding it in Lower Manhattan circa 1952.
—David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 7 Jan. 2026
As a rule, cornerbacks are a cocky bunch and thus good at pressers.
—Kevin Sherrington, Dallas Morning News, 5 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cocky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cocky
Adjective
-
The Reds have been a pleasant surprise in the Eastern Conference of MLS and are comfortably in the mix of top east teams, standings wise.—
Braidon Nourse,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Flavor-wise, both the Molten Lava Cake and Strawberry Burst were pleasant, but less singularly memorable than the Cinnamon Caramel Pop-Tart.—
Joseph Erbentraut,
Better Homes & Gardens,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Beane was so cocksure Allen’s solo act would work again that the GM made only minor moves to improve the offense.—
Tim Graham,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Set on a white-run construction site in West Africa, the story follows an edgy foreman anxiously awaiting his bride, whose presence meets resistance from a cocksure engineer clinging to the hyper-masculine status quo.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
4 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Malinin’s confidence would be insolent if his acrobatics weren’t so astonishing.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
1 Feb. 2026
-
The fox would once have crushed this insolent creature with a swipe of her paw.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
19 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
But getting sassy with an umpire isn’t an indictment of one’s character, and this is supposed to be lighthearted.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
2 Apr. 2026
-
This might be the sassiest bob of the year.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
What follows below are six of the most brazen art heists ever pulled off, from the crime that accidentally made The Mona Lisa the most famous painting in the world to the Romanian kitchen where a Picasso may have gone up in smoke.—
Nick Mafi,
Architectural Digest,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Dutch authorities on Thursday showed off a recovered priceless gold 2,500-year-old helmet from Romania that was stolen last year during a brazen heist in the Netherlands.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
His first goal was pretty enough, an inch-perfect sidefoot just inside Donnarumma’s far post, but his second was a work of impudent art.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Gemma reluctantly agrees to rebuild her impudent robot in a new body, and the sequel ends with an explosive showdown between Amelia and M3GAN, who nearly dies in a noble attempt to save Gemma and her niece, Cady (Violet McGraw).—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
29 June 2025
Adjective
-
Stucco, gold leaf, and frescoes now decorate them; some details are delicate, and others are bold.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Israel moves fast, launching a bold military operation against a weaker Middle Eastern neighbor.—
Ishaan Tharoor,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The dramatist’s mode is broader and brasher, calculated for the sweep of the stage rather than the close-up, with splashes of color and humor that can verge on camp.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Mayor Mamdani has once wisely again overruled Candidate Mamdani, reversing a brash and reckless campaign promise with the sober reality of governing, this one on the CityFHEPS housing voucher program.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cocky. Accessed 7 Apr. 2026.
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