swashbuckling
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
-
of or characteristic of a swashbuckler
-
(esp of films in period costume) full of adventure and excitement
Etymology
Origin of swashbuckling
First recorded in 1685–95; swashbuckl(er) + -ing 2, -ing 1
Explanation
Going on bold, exciting, and exotic adventures is swashbuckling. The stories of the heroic outlaw Robin Hood involve a lot of swashbuckling. You can use swashbuckling as a noun or an adjective, so you might dress up as the swashbuckling Inigo Montoya from the movie The Princess Bride, or try to convince your friends to watch a movie full of adventure and swashbuckling. Swashbuckler came first, a 16th-century name for a swaggering fighter. Earlier, such a character was simply called a swash, which also meant "fall of a blow."
Vocabulary lists containing swashbuckling
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.
Coach John Mitchell has sold the scorelines as evidence of a new, swashbuckling style and a willingness to slug it out toe to toe with the world.
From BBC • May 16, 2026
For one thing, the swashbuckling hero of “Scarborn,” which is happy movie news.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026
The actor recently reprised his iconic role as a swashbuckling archaeologist in the 2023 sequel “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 1, 2026
In reply, India lost swashbuckling opener Abhishek Sharma on the first ball with Matt Henry drawing a top edge to third man.
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
At the moment, Cassiopeia and her brothers were merrily swashbuckling ’round the nursery, slashing at imaginary foes.
From "The Long-Lost Home" by Maryrose Wood
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.
