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
Etymology
Origin of swanky
Explanation
Swanky things are fancy and stylish, like a swanky hotel lobby with sparkling chandeliers, plush furniture, and elegant guests. You can also call swanky things ritzy or classy. They're expensive and luxurious, like a swanky car, a swanky apartment building with a doorman, or a swanky neighborhood where only movie stars can afford to live. The adjective swanky comes from its less-common synonym swank, which stems from the now-obsolete verb swank, "to behave ostentatiously."
Vocabulary lists containing swanky
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Catcher in the Rye
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
A Wealth Of Words: Synonyms for "Rich"
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
Rapidly spreading blazes have forced authorities to evacuate tens of thousands of people from the swanky Cap Ferret peninsula and surrounding villages, in one of the largest evacuation operations ever conducted in France.
From Barron's ● Jul. 25, 2026
On one recent Thursday night, dating app startup Known hosted a dating event at a swanky San Francisco cocktail lounge for people who completed their matchmaking call on the app.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 28, 2026
It isn't a lordship with swanky estates or privileges.
From BBC ● Jun. 18, 2026
I guess being buddies at swanky Hamptons parties in the ’90s only goes so far.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
She'd hand in her basket and then go someplace swanky for lunch.
From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger
This is a basic desk from a lesser-known vendor, and I was a bit skeptical when it was offered to me for testing after having used swankier desks from the likes of Vari.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 28, 2023
They will also have a new pick-up shelf and parking spots for mobile orders, along with a more technologically advanced kitchen and a swankier interior.
From Salon ● Aug. 22, 2023
Cattle deaths from train collisions isn't new in India, though the media's scrutiny of these deaths has increased over the past few years as the country launches newer, swankier trains.
From BBC ● Apr. 6, 2023
If mom-and-pop restaurants specializing in galbi jjim, kimchi jjigae or soondubu disappear, to be replaced by swankier places or chains like Sweetgreen, will Koreatown lose its soul?
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 10, 2022
"It seems hardly possible that your activities would be confined largely to going to the cinema, to the swankier night clubs and eating in the more famed restaurants."
From The Common Man by Schelling, George Luther
We met in a cozy bar at the Crockfords, one of the swankiest luxury hotels on the north end of the Las Vegas Strip.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 8, 2026
For decades, the Indian elite have sought escape in Raj-era private clubs and gymkhanas, scattered around the swankiest neighbourhoods in the country's big cities, hillside resorts and cantonment towns.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025
More heavyweight options cost four figures, with the swankiest model north of $2,000.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 9, 2023
“It is a completely unbelievable but wholly captivating flight into fancy composed of unequal dollops of comedy, romance, poignancy, funny colloquialisms and Manhattan’s swankiest East Side areas captured in the loveliest of colors,” A.H.
From New York Times ● Feb. 27, 2023
He didn't know Kingston overly well, but by the appearance of the building and by the entry, it was probably the swankiest hotel in town.
From Mercenary by Birmingham, Lloyd
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.
