swanky
Americanadjective
adjective
-
expensive and showy; stylish
a swanky hotel
-
boastful or conceited
Usage
What does swanky mean? Swanky means fancy, stylish, or classy, especially in a showy or expensive way. It is often used informally.Swanky can refer to something that is ostentatious (over the top) or something that is very elegant. Either way, the unifying element is fanciness.Example: Anna doesn’t usually get a chance to eat at fancy restaurants, so she really enjoyed the gourmet food at the swanky office party.
Other Word Forms
- swankily adverb
- swankiness noun
Etymology
Origin of swanky
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.
The pay-by-the-kilo buffet would rival the Sunday brunch at any swanky U.S. hotel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026
Page Six, citing a fire department spokesman, reported that O'Hara was rushed to hospital before dawn from her home in the swanky Brentwood area of Los Angeles.
From Barron's • Jan. 30, 2026
At the Armoni Inn & Suites, rooms boast modern appliances and glossy wood furniture, while a chandelier hovers in the foyer near a swanky sitting area.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 2, 2026
The romance rumours between them began swirling in late July, when the two were spotted having dinner together at Le Violon, a swanky restaurant in the heart of Montreal.
From BBC • Oct. 31, 2025
On January 28, 2007, he arrived at the swanky Bali Hai Golf Club in Las Vegas dressed in gym shorts, t-shirt, and sneakers.
From "The Big Short" by Michael Lewis
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.
