cockier; cockiest
1
: boldly or brashly self-confident
a cocky young actor
he is invariably a smug and cocky stuffed shirtJames Thurber
2
: jaunty
cockily adverb
cockiness noun

Examples of cocky in a Sentence

Don't get too cocky about your chances of getting the job. a cocky young actor who thought that he was God's gift to the theater
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The cocky decision will have unnerving ramifications. Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2025 But get used to me — black, confident, cocky; my name, not yours; my religion, not yours; my goals, my own. Mikal Gilmore, Rolling Stone, 17 Jan. 2025 Wyndham Clark staring down New York on the hammer putt, and moments like Åberg getting a little cocky with the crowd or Fitzpatrick getting heckled on that iron shot really did come through on TV. Brody Miller and Hugh Kellenberger, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025 If the company gets cocky and goes too high, that could ruin a lot of the appeal here. Chris Welch, The Verge, 6 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for cocky 

Word History

Etymology

see cock entry 1

First Known Use

1768, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cocky was in 1768

Dictionary Entries Near cocky

Cite this Entry

“Cocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cocky. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

cocky

adjective
cockier; cockiest
1
: being too sure of oneself
2
: jaunty
cockily adverb
cockiness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on cocky

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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