show-off

UK/ˈʃəʊ ˌɒf/US/ˈʃoʊ ˌɔf/cot caught merger/ˈʃoʊ ˌɑf/

noun

One who shows off; a person given to egotistically demonstrating their prowess or ability.

“Quit being such a show-off, before someone gets hurt.”

Similar
exhibitionist
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Meanings

nounshow-off (plural show-offs)

plural show-offs · alternative showoff

  1. One who shows off; a person given to egotistically demonstrating their prowess or ability.

    Quit being such a show-off, before someone gets hurt.

    3 more examples

    “Don’t tell me what to do, you double-crossing little show-off!” he grated. “Here, stand aside there, and let a man pass.”

    1959, Roger Barlow, Stormy Voyage, New York: Simon and Schuster

    He was still a tad disgruntled about being used as a work-horse, but he allowed this feeling to be repressed in favor of the pomp and circumstance of the parade. He was, after all, a bit of a show-off when he could get away with it. And that is a real understatement!

    2003, Robert J. Evans, Chris Dulabone, Abducted to Oz

    Totally obsessive fans are a good measure of a ride’s popularity, but they’re kind of a pain in the ass, too. They lipsynch the soundtrack, cadge souvenirs and pester you with smarmy, show-off questions.

    2003, Cory Doctorow, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom, Tor Books

Synonyms & antonyms

nounsomeone who deliberately behaves in such a way as to attract attention

Similar
exhibitionist
Broader
egotistegoistswellhead
Also see
exhibitionistshowhorse

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

Deverbal from show off.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian фукльо, баровец
  • фукльо (fukljo)one who shows off
  • баровец (barovec)one who shows off
Catalan fatxenda, presumit
  • fatxendaone who shows off
  • presumitone who shows off
  • presumidaone who shows off
Danish pralhals, blærerøv
  • pralhalsone who shows off
  • blærerøvone who shows off
Dutch aansteller, uitslover
  • aanstellerone who shows off
  • uitsloverone who shows off
Esperanto fanfaronulo, pavo
  • fanfaronuloone who shows off
  • pavoone who shows off
Finnish mahtailija, brassailija
  • mahtailijaone who shows off
  • brassailijaone who shows off
French m'as-tu-vu, frimeur
  • m'as-tu-vuone who shows off
  • frimeurone who shows off
German Angeber, Selbstdarsteller
  • Angeberone who shows off
  • Selbstdarstellerone who shows off
  • Prahlhansone who shows off
Hebrew שְׁוִיצֶר
  • שְׁוִיצֶר (shvítzer)one who shows off
Italian coatto, sborone
  • coattoone who shows off
  • sboroneone who shows off
Latin ostentātor
  • ostentātorone who shows off
Polish chwalipięta, szpaner
  • chwalipiętaone who shows off
  • szpanerone who shows off
  • szpanerkaone who shows off
Portuguese metido, exibido
  • metidoone who shows off
  • exibidoone who shows off
  • exibidaone who shows off
Russian позёр, хвастун
  • позёр (pozjór)one who shows off
  • хвастун (xvastun)one who shows off
  • бахвал (baxval)one who shows off
Spanish exhibicionista, fanfarrón
  • exhibicionistaone who shows off
  • fanfarrónone who shows off
  • fantasmaone who shows off
  • postureadorone who shows off
  • presumidoone who shows off
  • mandaparteone who shows off
  • notasone who shows off
Tagalog pasikat
  • pasikatone who shows off
Cite this entry
APA

show-off. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show-off

MLA

“show-off.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show-off. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “show-off,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/show-off.

Source: show-off on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.