adj
swank
SWANGK
Swank (adj) means Fashionably stylish and impressive; posh. Example: “They held the reception at a swank hotel downtown.”
adj
1
Fashionably stylish and impressive; posh.
"She arrived at a very swank studio, where Mr. Feldman introduced himself as the director of auditions."
— Maximus Tonelli, The Pilot and the Actress (2010)
"Warren, Emerald City's owner, had thrown a swank party at his house and invited the whole staff, along with about fifty others."
— Richelle Mead, Succubus Dreams (2011)
"They held the reception at a swank hotel downtown."
verb
1
To show off or act in a flashy, superior way.
"Looks like she's going to swank in, flashing her diamonds, then swank out to another party."
"He loves to swank about his new car."
How to use swank
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStylish and impressive, often with a hint of showing off.
When to use it
Informal, mostly British usage.
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Word forms
- Plural
- swanks
- Third person singular
- swanks
- Past tense
- swanked
- Comparative
- swanker
- Superlative
- swankest
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
They held the reception at a _____ hotel downtown.
Etymology
From dialectal English swank, "to strut, show off," related to Proto-Germanic roots for swaying or bending.
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for swank
See all rhymes for swank →Frequently asked questions
What does “swank” mean?
The word “swank” means fashionably stylish and impressive; posh. In plain terms, stylish and impressive, often with a hint of showing off.
How do you pronounce “swank”?
“Swank” is pronounced SWANGK (/ˈsweɪ̯ŋk/ in IPA).
How do you use “swank” in a sentence?
Here is “swank” used in a sentence: “They held the reception at a swank hotel downtown.”
What part of speech is “swank”?
Depending on how it is used, “swank” can be an adjective and a verb.
Where does the word “swank” come from?
The word “swank” comes from Proto-Germanic. From dialectal English swank, "to strut, show off," related to Proto-Germanic roots for swaying or bending.
How many meanings does “swank” have?
“Swank” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: fashionably stylish and impressive; posh.
