as in to show off
to engage in attention-getting playful or boisterous behavior
the gymnast was showboating for the cameras when she lost her balance and fell
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of showboat
Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, 12 Sep. 2019
Three quarters of sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball, followed by one quarter of the most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 16 Feb. 2020
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2024
Her character, Corrine, is bold and sparkly, the kind of showboat who leaps atop a bar to belt Wham!
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Verb
There are no showboating gestures here, only a bone-deep commitment to showing us the lives of individuals often relegated to the cinematic sidelines, to the extent that the movies even notice them all.
—Justin Chang, chicagotribune.com, 12 Sep. 2019
Three quarters of sleepwalking, showboating and unwatchable basketball, followed by one quarter of the most intense and least-artistic basketball of the season.
—Scott Ostler, SFChronicle.com, 16 Feb. 2020
Noun
Keoghan’s performance is a bit of a showboat stunt (he’s supposed to be a terrible father but doesn’t seem like a father at all).
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 17 May 2024
Her character, Corrine, is bold and sparkly, the kind of showboat who leaps atop a bar to belt Wham!
—Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
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The country star turned heads in a strapless black gown with a keyhole cutout on her chest and torso, which showed off her toned abs.—
Lori A Bashian Fox News,
FOXNews.com,
19 Apr. 2025
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Kloots posted two photos of each of them in a side-by-side comparison, zooming in on their faces to show off their similar features.—
Kayla Grant,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Visit the historic downtown and museums about cowboys, the Osage Nation, and pioneer life.—
Valerie Fraser Luesse,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2025
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The characters fall neatly into shopworn archetypes — strong silent cowboy, too-slick businessman, bad boy with a heart of gold, etc. — and are easy to root for in the sense that none of them are interesting enough to be worth rooting against.—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Consider cutting up their food or serving easy-to-eat foods like smoothies.—
Smita Patel,
Verywell Health,
15 Apr. 2025
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Skrillex has never restricted his distension of sonic materials to merely supersizing his bass lines, and among other things, the voices on this album are routinely phased and retuned and cut up.—
Michaelangelo Matos,
Rolling Stone,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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There’s an arming-up montage in which every regular person stranded on a cursed island filled with undead is suddenly a tactical weapons expert, and that leads into a berserker sequence featuring actual game footage cut into the movie.—
Jordan Crucchiola,
Vulture,
4 Apr. 2025
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This annual meteor shower tends to go berserk every 33 years, but sadly, the next bonanza isn't due until 2032-33, according to Sky At Night.—
Jamie Carter,
Space.com,
29 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Quit horsing around — the Clydesdales are back!—
Breanne L. Heldman,
People.com,
10 Feb. 2025
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In the video, Payne is shown horsing around with a large outdoor crowd and his bandmates, encouraging the fans to quiet their screaming and then raise the volume all the way back up.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
3 Feb. 2025
Verb
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First up, while people are revelling following the verdict, the emotional intensity of reaction can be traced to a sense of loss.—
Callum Booth,
Forbes,
19 Feb. 2025
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Key speeches are faithfully delivered to an audience of two, not thousands; a scene of soldiers destructively revelling on a bridge is given a different spirit by ironic, out-of-time horseplay.—
Guy Lodge,
Variety,
8 Feb. 2025
Verb
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As Molly and Guy start to fool around, things get hot and heavy, but Ernie has a job to do.—
Erin Qualey,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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Plotwise, four teens who grew up with technology and like to fool around on their laptops invading various verboten sites and having a great time doing it one day happen upon a bright idea.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
8 Mar. 2025
Verb
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When my rifle roared, the Phantom crashed to the ground.—
Jeffrey A. Brunk,
Outdoor Life,
10 Apr. 2025
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Since the storms roared across Kentucky last week, the state has reported five deaths, over 140 water rescues, and thousands of power outages.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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