1
as in to horse around
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the athletes warmed up, happily showing off for the crowd before the match officially started
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to display
to present so as to invite notice or attention
she just wants to show off her new jewelry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in hotshot
informal + disapproving
a person who tries to impress other people with his or her abilities or possessions
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of show off
Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 16 Apr. 2025
Each year brings new pins and new opportunities to show off one’s pin collection.
—Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Brighton Beach can be a relentless show-off that way, your feelings be damned.
—Rachel Sonis, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for show off
Verb
Her idea immediately caught on, first in the comments, then with other creators showing off their own purse bowls.
—Kathleen Walsh, Glamour, 16 Apr. 2025
Each year brings new pins and new opportunities to show off one’s pin collection.
—Jill Robbins, Southern Living, 16 Apr. 2025
Noun
This one-of-a-kind cultural exchange program invites visitors to come into the homes of vetted, welcoming locals, who are likewise looking to meet travelers and show-off what their country has to offer in a unique way — and maybe just make a few new lifelong friendships along the way.
—Sandra MacGregor, Forbes, 13 Dec. 2024
Brighton Beach can be a relentless show-off that way, your feelings be damned.
—Rachel Sonis, TIME, 18 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for show off
Recent Examples of Synonyms for show off
Verb
-
Quit horsing around — the Clydesdales are back!—
Breanne L. Heldman,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
-
In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The museum’s Vietnam Gallery displays Mills’ uniform, flight helmet and medals.—
Eric E. Harrison,
Arkansas Online,
26 Apr. 2025
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The soon-to-be 23-year-old displayed impressive contact balance and routinely churned out additional yards after being hit, but his workload in college (879 carries in five years) raises questions about his long-term outlook in the NFL. 191.—
James Boyd,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And, elsewhere, office hotshot Richard Roma (Culkin) showcases the art of the effin' deal by luring in everyman James Lingk (John Pirruccello) with stories of hook-ups and cafe au lait before casually showing him some prime real estate.—
Emlyn Travis,
EW.com,
1 Apr. 2025
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The plot turns strange when the hotshot therapist unexpectedly fails to show up, leaving the couples to confront their issues without his professional guidance.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
26 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Consider cutting up their food or serving easy-to-eat foods like smoothies.—
Smita Patel,
Verywell Health,
15 Apr. 2025
-
Skrillex has never restricted his distension of sonic materials to merely supersizing his bass lines, and among other things, the voices on this album are routinely phased and retuned and cut up.—
Michaelangelo Matos,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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An online database that tracks ship movements shows the Mohawk has been docked in its home port since mid-March.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2025
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Text messages sent in the hours leading up to O’Keefe’s death read aloud to the court by a Massachusetts state trooper show the couple were at a strained point in their relationship.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2025
Verb
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As Molly and Guy start to fool around, things get hot and heavy, but Ernie has a job to do.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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Plotwise, four teens who grew up with technology and like to fool around on their laptops invading various verboten sites and having a great time doing it one day happen upon a bright idea.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Courtesy of Carolina Sarria Mixed media artwork by Carolina Sarria with the Andy Warhol Foundation exhibited at Fotografiska in 2021.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vogue,
23 Apr. 2025
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In one of its slides at trial, Meta exhibited a graphic of a boxing ring showing the logos of Instagram, Facebook, and the various companies that Meta argues are competitors, including TikTok, YouTube, and Apple’s iMessage, though the F.T.C. doesn’t define any of those three as such.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The wise guys that summarily swooped him up were rewarded with 10 multiple-TD games and a QB8 finish on the year.—
Bill Reinhard,
New York Daily News,
30 Jan. 2025
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Swaggering ex-con Sullivan’s conscience manifests in the form of Father Jerry Connolly (Pat O’Brien), the childhood friend turned cleric who does his best to keep the wise guys in line and set another example for the lovable, mischievous Dead End Kids.—
Mike Barnes,
The Hollywood Reporter,
17 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Show off.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/show%20off. Accessed 30 Apr. 2025.
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