Phrasal verb
show off
Irregular verb
Forms
Infinitive
show off
Past
showed off
Past participle
shown off
Definition
phrasal verb. to try to make people notice your skills or things you own because you are proud of them. You use this when someone wants attention or praise.
phrasal verb. to display someone or something in a manner intended to invite admiration or attention. The verb functions both intransitively to describe boastful behavior and transitively to highlight a specific attribute.
Examples
“He likes to show off his new car to his friends.”
“During the talent show, Sarah decided to show off her piano skills by playing a difficult classical piece.”
“The architect designed the glass atrium specifically to show off the building's innovative structural engineering and natural light integration.”
Examples
simple
“He likes to show off his new car to his friends.”
contextual
“During the talent show, Sarah decided to show off her piano skills by playing a difficult classical piece.”
complex
“The architect designed the glass atrium specifically to show off the building's innovative structural engineering and natural light integration.”
Usage
When used transitively, the object can sit between 'show' and 'off' or follow the particle.
Teaching tip
Introduce the hyphenated noun form 'show-off' to describe the person, noting its typically negative connotation compared to the verb.
Pitfall
He is always show offing.
He is always showing off.
Inflectional endings like '-ing' or '-ed' must be attached to the base verb 'show' rather than the particle 'off'.
Phrasal verb
Particles
off
Separability
optional
Pattern
show + (object) + off
Synonyms
Antonyms
Grammar
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Very common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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