swashbuckle

verb

swash·​buck·​le ˈswäsh-ˌbə-kəl How to pronounce swashbuckle (audio)
ˈswȯsh-
swashbuckled; swashbuckling ˈswäsh-ˌbə-k(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce swashbuckle (audio)
ˈswȯsh-

intransitive verb

: to act the part of a swashbuckler

Examples of swashbuckle in a Sentence

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.
What happened to the swashbuckling mountaineer whose image had been plastered across the internet? — William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 Instead, most are romantic stories about young lovers separated by fate, and the rest are swashbuckling adventures full of bandits and pirates. — Literary Hub, 30 June 2026 The kind of experience these companies curate manages to be sumptuously luxe and transformatively meaningful—and offers plenty of swashbuckling tales to tell. — Adam Erace, Fortune, 24 May 2026 Even if the performance was not swashbuckling, Arsenal securing their place in back-to-back Champions League semi-finals for the first time is a noteworthy milestone. — Jack Lang, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for swashbuckle

Word History

Etymology

back-formation from swashbuckler

First Known Use

1897, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of swashbuckle was in 1897

Rhymes for swashbuckle

See All Rhymes for swashbuckle

Browse Nearby Words

swash
swashbuckle
swashbuckler
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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

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