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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of show off
Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
View 2 Images Looking like something out of a science fiction thriller, Diehl Defence is showing off its CICADA eMissile, which is the centerpiece of the company's Sky Sphere system for defending against Class 1 and 2 small drones with minimal collateral damage.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 27 Feb. 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
Quentin Young of Oaks Christian showed off his power Wednesday against Moorpark.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Feb. 2025
View 2 Images Looking like something out of a science fiction thriller, Diehl Defence is showing off its CICADA eMissile, which is the centerpiece of the company's Sky Sphere system for defending against Class 1 and 2 small drones with minimal collateral damage.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 27 Feb. 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
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Elsewhere, two boys, Frank and Alain, get up to assorted mischief, sneaking onto a baseball diamond at night or horsing around on railroad tracks, although there are hints that Frank’s family may leave Cuba soon.—
Ben Kenigsberg,
New York Times,
9 Jan. 2025
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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 event was inspired by the Korean pottery displayed in the museum’s Gerstner Collections Core.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes,
9 Mar. 2025
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Some proudly display the Israeli flag in their sanctuaries.—
Yonat Shimron,
NPR,
9 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Ben McLane, first row far right, was part of the hotshot crew that responded to the Camp Fire in Paradise, Calif.—
Jacob Soboroff,
NBC News,
18 Feb. 2025
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Gutierrez, a 15-year veteran with the Forest Service on hotshot crews and engines, said thousands of firefighters on probationary status are at risk of termination, as well.—
Jacob Soboroff,
NBC News,
7 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Popular freezer hacks include saving Parmesan rinds to deepen the flavor of soups, cutting up loaves of bread for toast, and even storing homemade jam without all the mess of canning.—
Meghan McCarron,
The Atlantic,
18 Feb. 2025
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By sector, technology suffered the worst, with job cuts up 128 percent on-month to 7,488, followed by automotive (123 percent), services (106 percent), retail (96 percent), and media and news (27 percent).—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
13 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The first detailed nationwide data on schools’ recovery shows that achievement gaps have widened, with the poorest students the furthest behind.—
Aatish Bhatia,
New York Times,
10 Mar. 2025
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The visual shows Lil Nas X framed in a hot pink Dreamboy doll box.—
Ashley Iasimone,
Billboard,
9 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Those who crave the thrill of a victory may embody the competitor. Bigger, bolder personalities may shine as jokers, always fooling around, or as storytellers, bringing imagination to life.—
Julianna Bragg,
CNN,
23 Feb. 2025
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While Mark and Helly were fooling around, Helly wasn’t fulfilling her promise to go get the directions Irving left tucked behind Dylan’s motivational poster.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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While young, high-energy cats are most prone to play aggression, older felines can also exhibit it.—
Tommy Tuberville,
Newsweek,
7 Mar. 2025
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Those with higher rejection sensitivity exhibited greater distress responses, particularly in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (DACC)—a brain region linked to processing social pain.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes,
6 Mar. 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 13 Mar. 2025.
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