Standard Lemma guide

swagger

adj · noun · verb · 14 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈswæɡ.ə/
  • General-American: /ˈswæɡ.ɚ/
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -æɡə(ɹ)
  • CMU ARPABET: S W AE1 G ER0 Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Fashionable; trendy.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic, slang

Examples

  • 15 March, 1896, Ernest Rutherford, letter to Mary Newton Mrs J.J. [Thomson] looked very well and was dressed very swagger and made a very fine hostess.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Confidence, pride.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A bold or arrogant strut.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A prideful boasting or bragging.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Someone carrying a swag; a swagman.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Australia, New-Zealand, historical

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To behave (especially to walk or carry oneself) in a pompous, superior manner.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: flaunt, preen, swank, aura farm, boulevardier, cut a wide swath, cut it fat, cut round, exhibitionize, figure away, flamboast, flex, floss, fluff one's feathers, gallery, high-side, let one's nuts hang, ostent, ostentate, showboat, show away, show off, strut, strut one's stuff, stunt, swag it out, swagger, three-sheet, venditate, yaya

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To boast or brag noisily; to bluster; to bully.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

verb

Meaning 8

To walk with a swaying motion.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

9

adjective satellite

Meaning 9

(British informal) very chic

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • groovy clothes

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: groovy

Antonyms: none provided

10

noun

Meaning 10

a proud stiff pompous gait

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: strut, prance

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: gait

11

noun

Meaning 11

an itinerant Australian laborer who carries his personal belongings in a bundle as he travels around in search of work

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: swagman, swaggie

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: itinerant, gypsy, gipsy

12

verb

Meaning 12

act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: bluster, swash

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: act, behave, do

13

verb

Meaning 13

discourage or frighten with threats or a domineering manner; intimidate

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: browbeat, bully

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: wheedle, cajole, palaver, blarney, coax, sweet-talk, inveigle

14

verb

Meaning 14

to walk with a lofty proud gait, often in an attempt to impress others

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • He struts around like a rooster in a hen house

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: tittup, ruffle, prance, strut, sashay, cock

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: walk

History

Etymology

A frequentative form of swag (“to sway”), first attested in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1595), see quotations.

From swag + -er.

Across languages

Translations

132 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: важничене (važničene) — confidence, pride
  • Bulgarian: перчене (perčene) — confidence, pride
  • Finnish: rehvakkuus — confidence, pride
  • French: fierté — confidence, pride
  • German: Selbstbewusstsein — confidence, pride
  • German: Stolz — confidence, pride
  • Irish: mustar — confidence, pride
  • Russian: самоуве́ренность (samouvérennostʹ) — confidence, pride
  • Russian: уве́ренность в себе́ (uvérennostʹ v sebé) — confidence, pride
  • Turkish: özgüven — confidence, pride
  • Vietnamese: sự tự tin — confidence, pride
  • Vietnamese: sự tự hào — confidence, pride
  • Bulgarian: наперена походка (naperena pohodka) — bold or arrogant strut
  • Czech: suverénní chůze — bold or arrogant strut
  • Czech: frajerské pohyby — bold or arrogant strut
  • Czech: pyšná chůze — bold or arrogant strut
  • Finnish: rehvastelija — bold or arrogant strut
  • Finnish: rehentelijä — bold or arrogant strut
  • French: prétentieux — bold or arrogant strut
  • French: rouleur de mécaniques — bold or arrogant strut
  • French: outrecuidant — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: altivez — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: altiveza — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: arrogancia — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: fachenda — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: petulancia — bold or arrogant strut
  • Galician: soberbia — bold or arrogant strut
  • German: Stolzieren — bold or arrogant strut
  • Irish: mustar — bold or arrogant strut
  • Italian: boria — bold or arrogant strut
  • Italian: spavalderia — bold or arrogant strut
  • Portuguese: marra — bold or arrogant strut
  • Russian: самоуве́ренная похо́дка (samouvérennaja poxódka) — bold or arrogant strut
  • Russian: самодово́льная похо́дка (samodovólʹnaja poxódka) — bold or arrogant strut
  • Spanish: pavoneo — bold or arrogant strut
  • Turkish: caka — bold or arrogant strut
  • Turkish: fiyaka — bold or arrogant strut
  • Bulgarian: самохвалство (samohvalstvo) — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Czech: chvástání — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Czech: naparování — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Finnish: rehvastelu — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Finnish: rehentely — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Finnish: öykkäröinti — prideful boasting or bragging
  • French: hâblerie — prideful boasting or bragging
  • French: fanfaronnade — prideful boasting or bragging
  • French: plastronnade — prideful boasting or bragging
  • French: gasconnade — prideful boasting or bragging
  • French: vantardise — prideful boasting or bragging
  • German: Angeberei — prideful boasting or bragging
  • German: Prahlerei — prideful boasting or bragging
  • German: Großtuerei — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Irish: mustar — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Portuguese: bravata — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Romanian: fanfaronadă — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Romanian: lăudăroșenie — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Romanian: gasconadă — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Russian: хвастовство́ (xvastovstvó) — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Spanish: fanfarroneo — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Turkish: afi — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Turkish: caka — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Turkish: çalım — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Turkish: fiyaka — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Turkish: gösteriş — prideful boasting or bragging
  • Bulgarian: важнича (važniča) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Bulgarian: перча се (perča se) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Czech: naparovat se — to act in a pompous manner
  • Dutch: zich aanstellen — to act in a pompous manner
  • Finnish: rehvastella — to act in a pompous manner
  • Finnish: ylvästellä — to act in a pompous manner
  • Finnish: herrastella — to act in a pompous manner
  • French: se pavaner — to act in a pompous manner
  • French: plastronner — to act in a pompous manner
  • French: rouler des mécaniques — to act in a pompous manner
  • French: se donner des airs — to act in a pompous manner
  • German: großtun — to act in a pompous manner
  • German: sich wichtigmachen — to act in a pompous manner
  • German: wichtigtun — to act in a pompous manner
  • Hindi: इतराना (itrānā) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Italian: pavoneggiarsi — to act in a pompous manner
  • Italian: gloriarsi — to act in a pompous manner
  • Italian: millantarsi — to act in a pompous manner
  • Persian: فیریدن (firidan) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Persian: خرامیدن (xarāmidan) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Russian: ва́жничать (vážničatʹ) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Spanish: pavonear — to act in a pompous manner
  • Swedish: svassa — to act in a pompous manner
  • Thai: กร่าง (gràang) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Thai: วางมาด — to act in a pompous manner
  • Thai: วางโต — to act in a pompous manner
  • Turkish: hava atmak — to act in a pompous manner
  • Ottoman Turkish: خروسلانمق (horoslanmak) — to act in a pompous manner
  • Bulgarian: хваля се (hvalja se) — to boast or brag noisily
  • Czech: naparovat se — to boast or brag noisily
  • Czech: machrovat — to boast or brag noisily
  • Czech: chvástat se — to boast or brag noisily
  • Czech: vychloubat se — to boast or brag noisily
  • Dutch: snoeven — to boast or brag noisily
  • Dutch: pralen — to boast or brag noisily
  • Dutch: opscheppen — to boast or brag noisily
  • Esperanto: fanfaroni — to boast or brag noisily
  • Finnish: rehennellä — to boast or brag noisily
  • Finnish: rehvastella — to boast or brag noisily
  • French: se vanter — to boast or brag noisily
  • French: fanfaronner — to boast or brag noisily
  • French: se la péter — to boast or brag noisily
  • French: péter plus haut que son cul — to boast or brag noisily
  • French: faire le beau — to boast or brag noisily
  • German: angeben — to boast or brag noisily
  • German: prahlen — to boast or brag noisily
  • German: aufschneiden — to boast or brag noisily
  • Māori: whakapehapeha — to boast or brag noisily
  • Russian: хва́статься (xvástatʹsja) — to boast or brag noisily
  • Spanish: fanfarronear — to boast or brag noisily
  • Swedish: skrävla — to boast or brag noisily
  • Thai: กร่าง (gràang) — to boast or brag noisily
  • Ottoman Turkish: قبارمق (kabarmak) — to boast or brag noisily
  • Ottoman Turkish: صاتمق (satmak) — to boast or brag noisily
  • Bulgarian: ходя наперено (hodja napereno) — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Czech: vykračovat si — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Czech: kráčet — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Czech: pyšně si vykračovat — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Dutch: paraderen — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Finnish: keinahdella — to walk with a swaying motion
  • French: rouler des épaules — to walk with a swaying motion
  • German: stolzieren — to walk with a swaying motion
  • German: gockeln — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Ancient Greek: λαπίζω (lapízō) — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Italian: pavoneggiarsi — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Māori: whakatāmaramara — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Māori: tāmaramara — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Russian: ходи́ть вразва́лку (xodítʹ vrazválku) — to walk with a swaying motion
  • Swedish: vingla — to walk with a swaying motion
Real reading context

swagger in complete knowledge articles