strut

¹ American  

[struht] / strʌt /

verb (used without object)

strutted, strutting

1. to walk with a vain, pompous bearing, as with head erect and chest thrown out, as if expecting to impress observers.

   Synonyms:

   flourish, parade

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noun

1. the act of strutting.

2. a strutting walk or gait.

idioms

1. strut one's stuff, to dress, behave, perform, etc., one's best in order to impress others; show off.

strut ² American  

[struht] / strʌt /

noun

1. any of various structural members, as in trusses, primarily intended to resist longitudinal compression.

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verb (used with object)

strutted, strutting

1. to brace or support by means of a strut or struts.

strut British  

/ strʌt /

verb

1. (intr) to walk in a pompous manner; swagger

2. (tr) to support or provide with struts

3. informal to behave or perform in a proud and confident manner; show off

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noun

1. a structural member used mainly in compression, esp as part of a framework

2. an affected, proud, or stiff walk

Synonym Usage

Strut and swagger refer especially to carriage in walking. Strut implies swelling pride or pompousness; to strut is to walk with a stiff, pompous, seemingly affected or self-conscious gait: A turkey struts about the barnyard. Swagger implies a domineering, sometimes jaunty, superiority or challenge, and a self-important manner: to swagger down the street.

Other Word Forms

• strutter
  noun
• strutting
  adjective
• struttingly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of strut¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English strouten “to protrude stiffly, swell, bluster,” Old English strūtian “to struggle,” derivative of unattested strūt (whence Middle English strut “strife”)

Origin of strut²

First recorded in 1565–75; obscurely akin to strut ¹

Explanation

When you strut, you walk with a proud swagger that has a little arrogance thrown in, like the prance of a running back who has just flown past the 250-pound linebackers and planted the ball in the end zone. You can't strut and be shy about it — when you strut, you know people are watching you. The big boss in a gangster film, a model on the runway, and the rap artist whose album has just gone platinum all know how to strut. The noun form of strut has a little less flash and refers to a vertical or horizontal support that holds something up, like the long steel bars holding up a building.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

strut strutted strutting

“Breezy,” one of just a handful of truly catchy tunes on the set, has an easy strut that channels the twinkle of the LP “Diamonds and Pearls.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026

Every four years the world's best attacking players strut their stuff as their nations try to win football's ultimate prize.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

Each human model and their shorter android companion took turns to strut their stuff in unison on stage.

From Barron's ● May 29, 2026

At the same time, I did have secondhand embarrassment watching DeChambeau strut around Augusta National in LIV-issue Crushers gear that made him look like the fry guy at a discount burger chain.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

"And don't forget, if you win, you gotta strut off the track like Mary."

From "Patina" by Jason Reynolds

The MacArthur “genius grant” winner sparkled with sartorial edge as he strutted across the stage in a white tuxedo shirt to discuss his book “Emperor of Gladness.”

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

Despite Ward’s reservations about the song, it strutted all the way to No. 1 on the Hot 100.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 23, 2026

The squad emerged from the coach wearing re-released replica away shirts from the 'Entertainers' era, when the Magpies strutted into stadiums up and down the country.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

Mike Papantonio strutted on a raised stage, his own face a hundred times larger than life on the screen behind him.

From Slate ● Jan. 13, 2026

On the far side of the pond, peacocks strutted and preened.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

“And then there’s some funny stuff too,” Dan explained, strutting around the store, with a sense of importance.

From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026

“All day, all the time, as if they’re players fretting and strutting on some invisible stage.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026

New Yorkers can’t get enough of the strutting woodcock.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 9, 2026

I especially dug the title track, which felt like the soundtrack to a hero strutting into battle before frantically spiraling into a storm of violins.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 25, 2026

Once when I was very young, a magic dancer appeared in our courtyard, strutting like a cock and hissing like a snake.

From "The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind" by William Kamkwamba

Related Words

• prance
• sashay
• stalk
• stride
• swagger