noun
showboat
SHOH-boht
Showboat (noun) means a river steamboat with an onboard theatre, once used for travelling entertainment. Example: “The showboat used to travel up and down the Mississippi.”
noun
1
A river steamboat with an onboard theatre, once used for travelling entertainment.
"Lowriding emerged in the 1950's in California, as Mexican-American youths -- in what may have been a reaction to the hot-rod culture dominated by whites -- transformed their cars into fantastical, ground-hugging showboats."
— Dan Neil, Victory to the Low and Slow (2000)
"The showboat used to travel up and down the Mississippi."
verb
1
To show off, often in a flashy or attention-seeking way.
"Their duel had something often lacking in this memorable era of men’s tennis: an edge, as Kyrgios showboated and intentionally smacked balls at Nadal’s body, ignoring the glares that Nadal sometimes fired back."
— Christopher Clarey, Rafael Nadal Doesn’t Fall for Nick Kyrgios’s Bag of Tricks (2019)
"Out: Trash talk, dirty play, crybabying, showboating and players who can't be bothered to show up for games or keep their shoes on."
— Scott Ostler, SCOTT OSTLER -- Hakeem Sets Old Standard (1995)
"He loves showboating in front of the cameras."
How to use showboat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo show off; historically, a floating theatre.
When to use it
The verb sense is informal and usually mildly critical.
Common pairings
stop showboating
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Word forms
- Plural
- showboats
- Third person singular
- showboats
- Past tense
- showboated
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ used to travel up and down the Mississippi.
Etymology
From show + boat.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for showboat
See all rhymes for showboat →Frequently asked questions
What does “showboat” mean?
The word “showboat” means a river steamboat with an onboard theatre, once used for travelling entertainment. In plain terms, to show off; historically, a floating theatre.
How do you pronounce “showboat”?
“Showboat” is pronounced SHOH-boht (/ˈʃoʊˌboʊt/ in IPA).
How do you use “showboat” in a sentence?
Here is “showboat” used in a sentence: “The showboat used to travel up and down the Mississippi.”
What part of speech is “showboat”?
Depending on how it is used, “showboat” can be a noun and a verb.
How many meanings does “showboat” have?
“Showboat” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a river steamboat with an onboard theatre, once used for travelling entertainment.
