prance

American  

[prans, prahns] / præns, prɑns /

verb (used without object)

pranced, prancing

1. to spring from the hind legs; to move by springing, as a horse.

2. to ride on a horse doing this.

3. to ride gaily, proudly, or insolently.

4. to move or go in an elated manner; cavort.

   Synonyms:

   frisk, frolic, romp, skip, leap, gambol

5. to dance or move in a lively or spirited manner; caper.

   Synonyms:

   frisk, frolic, romp, skip, leap, gambol

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verb (used with object)

pranced, prancing

1. to cause to prance.

noun

1. the act of prancing; a prancing movement.

prance British  

/ prɑːns /

verb

1. (intr) to swagger or strut

2. (intr) to caper, gambol, or dance about

3. (intr)

   1. (of a horse) to move with high lively springing steps

   2. to ride a horse that moves in this way

4. (tr) to cause to prance

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noun

1. the act or an instance of prancing

Other Word Forms

• prancer noun
• prancingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of prance

1325–75; Middle English prauncen, praunsen (v.); akin to Danish (dial.) pransk spirited, said of a horse

Explanation

When you prance, you swagger around with exaggerated, proud movements. If you've seen many rock concerts, you've seen people prance around onstage. When people prance, they're showing off, strutting for the benefit of their audience. Horses prance too, with a gait that's also a little artificial, using high, springy steps. You might prance a little when you run up on stage to accept an award, and a show horse might be equally inclined to prance as it moves past the judges. The horse gait definition is the original meaning of prance, and it probably comes from the Middle English pranken, "to show off."

Example Sentences

The kids prance around the yard quoting “Macbeth” a decade before he’ll stage it and Mescal gets to recite a “Hamlet” soliloquy as a little treat.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 25, 2025

Lady Bridgerton seems almost otherworldly in a world where women continually prance about in ethereal dresses that look like ballet costumes.

From Salon • Mar. 30, 2022

That’s why they were in position to prance jubilantly off the field when Dunlap thwarted Garoppolo’s fourth-down, last-gasp effort to add to the litany of painful finishes for the Seahawks this season.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 5, 2021

“I do like dressing up and wearing full makeup. Because who doesn’t want to prance through the woods and feel like a woman fairy? But some of it is definitely about looking super-approachable,” she said.

From New York Times • Jul. 30, 2021

Annie watched Guiteau prance back and forth in front of a mirror.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• gambol
• sashay
• strut
• swagger