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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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
Amy Nicholson, Variety, 7 Sep. 2023
But for all his talent and confidence as a performer, composer and bandleader, Shorter was frequently overshadowed by showboats, not least his Weather Report bandmate Jaco Pastorius.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Aug. 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
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
But for all his talent and confidence as a performer, composer and bandleader, Shorter was frequently overshadowed by showboats, not least his Weather Report bandmate Jaco Pastorius.
—Sheri Linden, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Aug. 2023
See all Example Sentences for showboat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for showboat
Verb
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As the crowd clapped and music blared, Sabalenka overcame her embarrassment and showed off her dance moves before attempting to take a picture with her Polaroid camera, only to realise the film had run out.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN,
12 Jan. 2025
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Dreame showed off a small toolbox that stored two brushes — a sponge for wet messes and a bristle brush.—
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy,
The Verge,
12 Jan. 2025
Noun
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The works often portray white cowboys on horseback in conflict with Indigenous people.—
Tasha Tsiaperas,
Axios,
15 Jan. 2025
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Tim Blake Nelson sets the stage beautifully with his opening bit about a singing cowboy, but there are a number of scene-stealers here including Harry Melling, Tom Waits, and Bill Heck.—
Brian Tallerico,
Vulture,
2 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Contra Costa County Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority has asked its customers to cut up their trees and place them in the organics cart for a month-long effort to clean up Christmas trees.—
Chase Hunter,
The Mercury News,
3 Jan. 2025
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At Dos Reales the process begins the night before when the pork and other ingredients are cut up and refrigerated overnight.—
Lisa Gutierrez,
Kansas City Star,
2 Jan. 2025
Noun
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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
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There’s no evidence to suggest that the bear went berserk after overdosing, as the trailer, which went viral in December, shows.—
Michael O'Sullivan,
Anchorage Daily News,
9 Feb. 2023
Verb
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Among racing’s many problems is that there are no dedicated air shipping companies that make moving horses around the country easy.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Dec. 2024
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Video went viral just days before the beginning of the 2024 Paris Olympics, where Dujardin was seen repeatedly whipping a horse around its legs.—
Scott Thompson,
Fox News,
5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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To revel or not to revel:In wake of terror attack, the music is back on in New Orleans FBI provides timeline prior to deadly attack Further investigation revealed that Jabbar stayed at a rental home in New Orleans beginning Oct. 30, 2024, according to Myrthil.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA TODAY,
6 Jan. 2025
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Be open always to the world around you, and the sighting of a fox, say, or a Mozart sonata overheard on a neighbor’s radio, will be reason enough to revel.—
airmail.news,
airmail.news,
9 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Oklahoma fooled around with Houston long enough to escape with a narrow 16-12 win.—
Chase Goodbread,
The Tennessean,
18 Sep. 2024
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While the siblings have the habit of getting into troubles and to only use their creative skills to fool around, Michael sees in them a real talent.—
Maelle Beauget-Uhl,
Forbes,
5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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A lot of anger and denial, and even a bit of a death wish, that all were there before Grace got there and now are roaring back.—
Patrick Gomez,
EW.com,
18 Jan. 2025
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On that stage in Memphis that night, King didn't know—and the audience that roared with approval didn't know either—that this would be his last speech.—
David Faris,
Newsweek,
17 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near showboat
Cite this Entry
“Showboat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/showboat. Accessed 22 Jan. 2025.
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