# cowboy up

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/cowboy-up
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To put on a more heterosexual manner, in order to fit in.

## Examples

- He needs to cowboy up if he wants to fit in with them.
- His friends told him to cowboy up and stop acting so sensitive at the party.
- Feeling the pressure to conform to traditional expectations, he decided to cowboy up and hide his true personality.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.