dashing
Americanadjective
-
energetic and spirited; lively.
a dashing hero.
-
elegant and gallant in appearance and manner.
a dashing young cavalry officer.
-
showy; stylish.
adjective
-
spirited; lively
a dashing young man
-
stylish; showy
a dashing hat
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of dashing
Explanation
Someone who's dashing is stylish, with a certain bold, attractive spirit. Your dashing uncle might charm and impress your friends with his stories of travels around the world and his fashionable outfits. Characters in old books are frequently dashing — adventurous and gallant, like a dashing hero on a white horse or a dashing pirate seeking his fortune at sea. The adjective dashing is almost always used to describe men, and for that reason it's a bit old-fashioned. In the 18th and 19th centuries "to cut a dash" meant "to act brilliantly" or "to give a showy appearance," and dashing came from this meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing dashing
To All the Boys I've Loved Before
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Almost American Girl
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Curb-edge fencing can stop foot traffic dashing across a six-lane-wide arterial, and so can pedestrian bridges.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2026
“I love it,” he said, dashing into class.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Variety magazine was also impressed by his stage presence, external, writing: "Styles is a one-in-millions performer, with a hurricane-force charm that's dashing and sexy and goofy at the same time."
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026
Pearce, known for his role as a dashing detective in "L.A. Confidential" and lately in "The Brutalist", was cast by Oscar-winning British director Danny Boyle to play Murdoch in his upcoming film, "Ink".
From Barron's ● Sep. 2, 2026
Brisk dashing about didn’t work well in the muggy tropical heat.
From "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch" by Jean Lee Latham
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
