- present tense form of air (3rd person singular).
airs
Britishplural noun
Explanation
To have airs is to be condescending or arrogant — in other words, to act like you think you're better than other people. If you put on airs, you'll find it hard to make friends. It's most common to find the word airs in the phrase "to put on airs." This basically means to act snobbish or stuck up. Someone who puts on airs is extremely annoying to everyone around him, clearly pretentious and mannered in his attitude. The phrase has been around since the 1780s, and it comes from the French air, "look, appearance, bearing, or tone."
Vocabulary lists containing airs
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This show airs on Friday at 12:30 p.m.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 8, 2026
The rights holder typically airs specials promoting the show on affiliated TV stations and morning show segments, although those advantages have mattered less in recent years as traditional viewing has diminished.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2026
Fortunately, the first edition this season airs on Tuesday, providing the perfect opportunity to play out the audio of the Fernandez offside decision.
From BBC ● Sep. 14, 2026
All episodes debut on Hulu the same day; FXX airs two a week.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
“They’ve got millions, but they live like human beings. They don’t put on airs and strut. Mrs. Dalton believes that people should be that way.”
From "Native Son" by Richard Wright
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
