as in cocky
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1
as in boasting
to praise or express pride in one's own possessions, qualities, or accomplishments often to excess
I, too, would swagger if I'd won first place in the bowling tournament
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strutting
to walk with exaggerated arm and leg movements
hoping to impress the women at the bar, the young man confidently swaggered across the room
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Recent Examples of swaggering
Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The notion of the swaggering state swallowing a chunk of its resistant neighbor is completely far-fetched.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
The notion of the swaggering state swallowing a chunk of its resistant neighbor is completely far-fetched.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Chris Robinson is a bit bemused at the idea of a column being dedicated to legacy musicians, even if his own band, the Black Crowes, released their swaggering debut album 36 years ago and are now eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2026
With her friend Danielle Siggerud, an architect based in Copenhagen, Calderone and her team at Studio Athena Calderone made respectful updates to the swaggering floor plan.
—Sarah Medford, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
During the show’s wildly popular first season, Robby was treated as a swaggering, tortured heartthrob by the viewers who turned this HBO Max original into an Emmy-winning success.
—Esther Zuckerman, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Dane and the Grey’s writers gradually transformed Mark from a hot, swaggering jerk into a guy loved enough to have the hospital renamed after him (and his equally doomed love, Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh) when the character died.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Nor are the stars the coaches, though both the Seahawks’ second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel in his first with the Patriots have shown their swaggering talent.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Don the swaggering employee needs to learn a lesson about gender identity.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
And Jordan's performances as Smoke and Stack are indeed confident and distinctive, not just in their different sartorial choices but in their mannerisms, with the actor excelling at portraying both Smoke's stoic practicality and Stack's swaggering charm.
—Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Two swaggering outlaws roll into a mining town and unleash a wave of cruelty.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
The timing of such self-reflection was notable, on the direct horizon of an AFC divisional-round matchup against a Bills team that’ll require calls-to-the-wall swaggering from Payton.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
This skinny kid from Norman, Oklahoma, swaggering up and down the court.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Die a hero, or live long enough to become Gen Z’s swaggering grandfather.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
Katy Perry was swaggering about in a garish new hat.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2025
Adjective
Max Clayton also makes a strong impression as Danny Bailey, a swaggering leading man modeled after Carousel’s Billy Bigelow and portrayed on the series by Aaron Tveit.
—Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
The notion of the swaggering state swallowing a chunk of its resistant neighbor is completely far-fetched.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
The notion of the swaggering state swallowing a chunk of its resistant neighbor is completely far-fetched.
—Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026
Chris Robinson is a bit bemused at the idea of a column being dedicated to legacy musicians, even if his own band, the Black Crowes, released their swaggering debut album 36 years ago and are now eligible for induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
—Devon Ivie, Vulture, 19 Mar. 2026
With her friend Danielle Siggerud, an architect based in Copenhagen, Calderone and her team at Studio Athena Calderone made respectful updates to the swaggering floor plan.
—Sarah Medford, Architectural Digest, 10 Mar. 2026
During the show’s wildly popular first season, Robby was treated as a swaggering, tortured heartthrob by the viewers who turned this HBO Max original into an Emmy-winning success.
—Esther Zuckerman, Vanity Fair, 20 Feb. 2026
Dane and the Grey’s writers gradually transformed Mark from a hot, swaggering jerk into a guy loved enough to have the hospital renamed after him (and his equally doomed love, Lexie Grey, played by Chyler Leigh) when the character died.
—Rick Porter, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Nor are the stars the coaches, though both the Seahawks’ second-year coach Mike Macdonald and Mike Vrabel in his first with the Patriots have shown their swaggering talent.
—Dave Hyde, Sun Sentinel, 7 Feb. 2026
Verb
The advertisement opened with a backside shot of a man clothed in Levi’s jeans, a western shirt and leather gloves, swaggering up to a pair of saloon doors.
—Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Don the swaggering employee needs to learn a lesson about gender identity.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
And Jordan's performances as Smoke and Stack are indeed confident and distinctive, not just in their different sartorial choices but in their mannerisms, with the actor excelling at portraying both Smoke's stoic practicality and Stack's swaggering charm.
—Ken Simmons, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
Two swaggering outlaws roll into a mining town and unleash a wave of cruelty.
—Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026
The timing of such self-reflection was notable, on the direct horizon of an AFC divisional-round matchup against a Bills team that’ll require calls-to-the-wall swaggering from Payton.
—Luca Evans, Denver Post, 16 Jan. 2026
This skinny kid from Norman, Oklahoma, swaggering up and down the court.
—Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 9 Jan. 2026
Die a hero, or live long enough to become Gen Z’s swaggering grandfather.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 28 Dec. 2025
Katy Perry was swaggering about in a garish new hat.
—Bethy Squires, Vulture, 28 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for swaggering
Adjective
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Stand-up comedian Andrew Schulz also joined the Street Fighter cast as Dan Hibiki, who was first introduced in Street Fighter Alpha and is characterized as being obnoxiously cocky.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
25 Apr. 2026
-
There’s a lot of, kind of hockey player archetypes — the flashy, cocky European superstar, that’s definitely a type.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Detroit’s catchers have issued the third-fewest challenges in the league, despite boasting the highest success rate.—
Zack Meisel,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Held from July 23-26 on the Blackfeet Reservation and boasting a lineup including Neurosis, 16 Horsepower, and Enslaved, the intent behind Fire in the Mountains is something deeper and more noble than inviting a flock of metalheads to the pristine Montana wilderness.—
David Harris,
SPIN,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Wasn’t there anyone in a position to at least stop him from strutting into a high-profile race for governor?—
Michelle Cottle,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2026
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Hadid last sported a mushroom brown hair color with lighter blonde ends in February while strutting the runway at the Ralph Lauren fashion show during New York Fashion Week.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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That claim sounds bombastic when much of the art world sees the headline grabbing Banksy as a guilty pleasure at best.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
7 May 2026
-
There will never be another John Sterling, whose bombastic style and signature catchphrases became must-listen radio when a Yankee hit a home run.—
Chris Kirschner,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The winning grade gets recognized with a special hot breakfast or bragging tags for their backpacks.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Apr. 2026
-
Kelsey Pomeroy once overheard her husband bragging about her to one of his engineering coworkers.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The Aztecs won 89-86 before an electric home crowd on a night that had 12 ties and 11 lead changes and seemed like five against six sometimes with the way UNLV coach Josh Pastner was prancing around the floor in a suit and tie while the ball was in play.—
Mark Zeigler,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Mar. 2026
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In the album’s most beautiful moments, Triplin makes arpeggios sound like prancing through an earthly paradise and sands off juke’s rough edges to produce rhythms that seem to chug along in the margins of a daydreaming brain.—
Kiana Mickles,
Pitchfork,
5 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite Netanyahu’s boastful statement, a series of nationwide polls last week found that most Israelis do not believe the US and Israel won the war against Iran.—
Dalia Abdelwahab,
CNN Money,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The two boastful half-brothers clashed and split.—
Gail Sheehy,
Vanity Fair,
20 Feb. 2026
Verb
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That set off a sprint between the two horses and the brothers riding them, striding toward the finish line.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
3 May 2026
-
The statue depicts a man striding atop a pillar, holding a large, flowing flag that covers his face.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Swaggering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swaggering. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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