swagger
Americanverb (used without object)
-
to walk or strut with a defiant or insolent air.
-
to boast or brag noisily.
verb (used with object)
noun
verb
-
(intr) to walk or behave in an arrogant manner
-
to brag loudly
-
rare (tr) to force, influence, etc, by blustering
noun
adjective
noun
Related Words
See strut 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of swagger
Explanation
Picture the confident, maybe even arrogant way a pirate, a cowboy, or even a rapper might stroll around. That style of walking is called a swagger. Swagger can also be used as a verb. After you ace a test you might swagger down the hall feeling pretty full of yourself. In verb form it can also refer to more aggressive behavior like bullying or intimidating others. Hopefully you wouldn’t swagger down the hall doing that though!
Vocabulary lists containing swagger
100 Words Every Middle Schooler Should Know
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
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Words from Shakespearean Insults
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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.
It ended up being a fourth-place finish in the TV talent show for Cher, who signed with Simon Cowell's record label, releasing number one single Swagger Jagger and two studio albums.
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025
"I know I'm not there artistically anymore with Swagger Jagger, but it's such a huge part of my story… I just have to do it."
From BBC • Jan. 17, 2025
In an ideal world "Swagger" would benefit from the hype that was built around fellow Apple TV+ series "Ted Lasso."
From Salon • Aug. 12, 2023
Hunter is known for his ordnance-heavy books about sniper Bob Lee Swagger, but this is a departure: a slightly campy — close to self-parody — and highly entertaining World War II espionage thriller.
From Seattle Times • Apr. 27, 2021
Swagger around expecting the whole world to open its arms to nothing but his smile?
From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri
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.
