swank

1 of 4

verb

ˈswaŋk How to pronounce swank (audio)
swanked; swanking; swanks
Synonyms of swanknext

intransitive verb

: show off, swagger
also : boast sense 1

swank

2 of 4

adjective (1)

Scotland
: full of life or energy : active

swank

3 of 4

adjective (2)

variants or swanky
ˈswaŋ-kē How to pronounce swank (audio)
swanker or swankier; swankiest
1
: characterized by showy display : ostentatious
a swank limousine
2
: fashionably elegant : smart
a swank restaurant
swankily
ˈswaŋ-kə-lē How to pronounce swank (audio)
adverb
swankiness
ˈswaŋ-kē-nəs How to pronounce swank (audio)
noun

swank

4 of 4

noun

1
: arrogance or ostentation of dress or manner : pretentiousness, swagger
2
: elegance, fashionableness

Synonyms of swank

Relevance

Adjective (2)

Noun

See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of swank in a Sentence

Verb rich people swanking around in their expensive cars Adjective (2) drove up in a red sports car, the swank interior of which was decorated in silver and black Noun service that is the essence of swank: the waiters pull out your chair for you and even place your napkin on your lap
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
The season of sunbathing in swim trunks, surfing in board shorts, and swanking about your style in slides—because no one wants to deal with the fuss of lacing up heft shoes and boots or the hassle of smelly socks. — Bernd Fischer, menshealth.com, 10 May 2023
Adjective
The party was held rooftop at a swank, downtown San Diego hotel. — Don Norcross, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Mar. 2026 The restaurant is swank, dark and generally rocking on most nights. — Liza B. Zimmerman, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Noun
To tap into their spot’s downtown ethos, the trio tapped industry titan Billy Cotton to design an interior swank enough to match the food at Bridges. — Alia Akkam, Architectural Digest, 10 Oct. 2024 Developer Guy van Rooyen is promising high-end swank, with two new restaurants and a bar, three event spaces, close to three dozen hotel rooms – and plenty of window seats to watch the airfield. — Patricia Gallagher Newberry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swank

Word History

Etymology

Verb

perhaps akin to Middle High German swanken to sway; akin to Middle Dutch swanc supple

Adjective (1)

Middle Low German or Middle Dutch swanc supple; akin to Old High German swingan to swing

First Known Use

Verb

1708, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (1)

1773, in the meaning defined above

Adjective (2)

circa 1842, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

circa 1854, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of swank was in 1708

Rhymes for swank

See All Rhymes for swank

Browse Nearby Words

Swan Islands
swank
swankily
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/swank. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

swank

1 of 3 verb
ˈswaŋk
: show off sense 2, swagger

swank

2 of 3 noun
1
: showy display or pride in dress or manners
2
: elegance sense 2

swank

3 of 3 adjective
variants or swanky
ˈswaŋ-kē How to pronounce swank (audio)
swanker or swankier; swankest
1
: marked by showy display : ostentatious
a swank limousine
2
: fashionably elegant
a swank restaurant
swankily
ˈswaŋ-kə-lē How to pronounce swank (audio)
adverb
swankiness
-kē-nəs How to pronounce swank (audio)
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on swank

Nglish: Translation of swank for Spanish Speakers

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