swagger

1 of 4

verb

swag·​ger ˈswa-gər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
swaggered; swaggering ˈswa-g(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swagger (audio)
Synonyms of swagger

intransitive verb

1
: to conduct oneself in an arrogant or superciliously pompous manner
especially : to walk with an air of overbearing self-confidence
2
: boast, brag

transitive verb

: to force by argument or threat : bully
swaggerer
ˈswa-gər-ər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
noun
swaggeringly
ˈswa-g(ə-)riŋ-lē How to pronounce swagger (audio)
adverb

swagger

2 of 4

noun (1)

plural swaggers
1
a
: an arrogantly self-confident way of walking : an act or instance of swaggering
b
: arrogant or conceitedly self-assured behavior
c
: ostentatious display or bravado
2
: bold or brash self-confidence
"Taxi" opens with an argument over capital punishment between a progressive female teacher and a condescending loudmouth who's all macho swagger.—Sheri Linden
Thierry has the swagger of a man who blew off conventional wisdom and turned out just fine.—Ben O'Donnell

swagger

3 of 4

adjective

: marked by elegance or showiness : posh

swaggerer

4 of 4

noun (2)

swag·​ger·​er -gərə(r) How to pronounce swaggerer (audio)
plural -s
: one that swaggers

Synonyms of swagger

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Verb

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of swagger in a Sentence

Verb He copped a plea, ratted out a dozen no-neck pals and swaggered off to prison, leaving South Beach temporarily without a pied piper. —Carl Hiaasen, New York Times Book Review, 22 Feb. 2009
So it is a fight rather than an argument, really—a fight over complexity versus ease, a fight that mostly mimics gang war, which is not so much a vigorous instance of manly bloodletting (though it is that too) as a dustup over prestige: who has the prior right to swagger in public. —Cynthia Ozick, Harper's, April 2007
Sometimes he sauntered through the streets of the old town. He looked with awe at the students of the corps, their cheeks gashed and red, who swaggered about in their coloured caps. —W. Somerset Maugham, Of Human Bondage, 1915
I, too, would swagger if I'd won first place in the bowling tournament. hoping to impress the women at the bar, the young man confidently swaggered across the room Noun (1) He limps with a noticeable swagger, flamboyantly waving his cane, semi-ironically mimicking the rap stars who are now his peers. —Matt Diehl, Spin, September 2008
He greeted me with the swagger he's learned since he became a fighter pilot, smiling, his blue eyes glowing. —Matthew Klam, Harper's, February 1999
What a hero Tom was become, now! He did not go skipping and prancing, but moved with a dignified swagger as became a pirate who felt that the public eye was on him. —Mark Twain, Tom Sawyer, 1876
He has a swagger that annoys some of his teammates.
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.
Verb
Two swaggering outlaws roll into a mining town and unleash a wave of cruelty. — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 20 Jan. 2026 Don the swaggering employee needs to learn a lesson about gender identity. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026
Noun
And Dravecky is the opposite of vanilla, with some real offensive swagger to his game while still having the athletic tools. — Scott Wheeler, New York Times, 27 June 2026 Peterson showcased a swagger that toed the line between confidence and self-assuredness often seen in superstar athletes. — Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 24 June 2026
Adjective
Daisy, the vengeful orphan with more swagger than sense. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026 But the bar doesn’t rely solely on the freshness of its shellfish to give it swagger. — Kate Dingwall, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for swagger

Word History

Etymology

Verb, Noun (1), and Adjective

probably from swag entry 1 + -er (as in chatter)

First Known Use

Verb

circa 1596, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swagger was circa 1596

Phrases Containing swagger

Rhymes for swagger

See All Rhymes for swagger

Browse Nearby Words

swage-set
swagger
swaggerer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swagger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swagger. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

swagger

1 of 2 verb
swag·​ger ˈswag-ər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
swaggered; swaggering -(ə-)riŋ How to pronounce swagger (audio)
1
: to behave in a very proud manner
especially : to walk with a proud strut
2
: boast entry 2 sense 1
swaggerer
-ər-ər How to pronounce swagger (audio)
noun
swaggeringly
-(ə-)riŋ-lē How to pronounce swagger (audio)
adverb

swagger

2 of 2 noun
: an act or instance of swaggering

More from Merriam-Webster on swagger

Nglish: Translation of swagger for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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