showboat 1 of 2

as in to show off
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior the gymnast was showboating for the cameras when she lost her balance and fell

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

showboat

2 of 2

noun

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of showboat
Verb
There are no showboating gestures here, only a bone-deep commitment to showing us the lives of individuals often relegated to the cinematic sidelines, to the extent that the movies even notice them all. Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, 12 Sep. 2019 Three quarters of sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball, followed by one quarter of the most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season. Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 16 Feb. 2020
Noun
Keoghan’s performance is a bit of a showboat stunt (he’s supposed to be a terrible father but doesn’t seem like a father at all). Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2024 Her character, Corrine, is bold and sparkly, the kind of showboat who leaps atop a bar to belt Wham! Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023 See All Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
  • The same goes for the other two Corvette concepts GM is expected to show off in 2025.
    Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 7 Apr. 2025
  • However, as Wood made the rounds during the show’s nonstop press tour, she’s been able to show off a bit of her personal style.
    Ángela Moreno Vallejo, Glamour, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Instead, stabilizers are cowboys tasked with wrangling a very specific herd: water.
    Ali Bouzari, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025
  • How many movie cowboys would admit that? ‘Shirkers’ (2018) Stream it on Netflix.
    Ben Kenigsberg, New York Times, 26 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • Here, Pulisic cuts up the left channel to offer a destination for a through ball.
    Jeff Rueter, The Athletic, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • This annual meteor shower tends to go berserk every 33 years, but sadly, the next bonanza isn't due until 2032-33, according to Sky At Night.
    Jamie Carter, Space.com, 29 Dec. 2024
  • There’s no evidence to suggest that the bear went berserk after overdosing, as the trailer, which went viral in December, shows.
    Michael O'Sullivan, Anchorage Daily News, 9 Feb. 2023
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.
    Guy Lodge, Variety, 8 Feb. 2025
  • Another interesting finding from the clinical trial that was more recently reveled is the reduction of visceral fat.
    Yola Robert, Forbes, 21 Jan. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
  • Ultra Music Festival 2025 roared into its thrilling third-day finale Sunday, as the event celebrated its 25th anniversary in the heart of downtown Miami.
    Miami Herald Newsroom, Miami Herald, 31 Mar. 2025
  • And hurricane-force gusts can roar across the base at speeds of up to 125 mph.
    Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on showboat

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!