dashing

adjective

dash·​ing ˈda-shiŋ How to pronounce dashing (audio)
1
: marked by vigorous action : spirited
a dashing young horse
2
: marked by smartness especially in dress and manners
dashingly adverb

Examples of dashing in a Sentence

She married a dashing young lawyer from the city. a brave and dashing soldier The actor cuts a dashing figure as a young Jack Kennedy.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Many seemed to believe the dashing man was the chief inspector on the case, while some even speculated his dapper appearance hinted at an elegant criminal who was involved in the heist somehow. Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 25 Oct. 2025 But the couple have yet to conceive an heir, so when Jerome absconds and his dashing friend Manfred (Galitzine) arrives with dastardly intentions, Hero (Corrin), Cherry’s wily and loyal maid, is forced to concoct a plan to distract Manfred by telling captivating stories about rebellious women. Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 Oct. 2025 Do not let the dashing green velvet suit, the yellow leather gloves, the silk cravat or the pencil-thin mustache, a tonsorial touch that suggests the matinee idols of yesteryear, fool you. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 14 Oct. 2025 The sisters received gentleman callers, including, in Eliza’s case, the dashing young officer and future British spy John André. Jane Kamensky, The Atlantic, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for dashing

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1697, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of dashing was circa 1697

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Cite this Entry

“Dashing.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dashing. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

dashing

adjective
dash·​ing
ˈdash-iŋ
1
: noticeably bold and forceful
a dashing attack
2
: showy and stylish especially in dress and manners
made a dashing appearance
dashingly adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on dashing

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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