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Synonyms

show-off

American  
[shoh-awf, -of] / ˈʃoʊˌɔf, -ˌɒf /
Also showoff

noun

  1. a person given to pretentious display.

    Synonyms:
    braggart, exhibitionist

  2. the act of showing off.

show off British  

verb

  1. (tr) to exhibit or display so as to invite admiration

  2. informal (intr) to behave in such a manner as to make an impression

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. informal a person who makes a vain display of himself

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
show off Idioms  

  1. Display in an ostentatious, conspicuous way; also, seek attention by displaying one's accomplishments, abilities, or possessions. For example, I'm wearing shorts to show off my Florida tan, or Karen loved showing off her new baby to her friends, or There's no need to show off, Fred; we all know you're a good dancer. [Early 1800s]

Other Word Forms

  • show-offish adjective

Etymology

Origin of show-off

First recorded in 1770–80; noun use of verb phrase show off

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.

Baz Luhrmann, the master showman, or at least show-off, of musical cinema, gives fair notice of his purpose in a big-screen offering tailored to IMAX, “EPiC: Elvis Presley in Concert.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

What for other dancers might be show-off steps are integrated into a poetic vision, a different way of being.

From New York Times • Jan. 24, 2024

“It’s a little bit of a show-off song, but people also like to sing along to the chorus because it’s very simple,” she said.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 24, 2023

When she boasted of speaking five languages, being an avid skier, having a master's degree and studying for her interior design license, I rolled my eyes, labelling her an overachieving show-off like her husband.

From Salon • Jul. 19, 2022

This made them laugh because they knew I meant it honest, not show-off.

From "The Perks of Being a Wallflower" by Stephen Chbosky

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.