Meaning & use

cocky

adjective·Everyday

Overly self-confident in a way that seems arrogant or disrespectful toward others.

See it in a sentence

The rookie's cocky attitude quickly annoyed his far more experienced and patient teammates.

She sounded a little cocky when she predicted an easy win against the defending champions.

A note on using this word

Cocky is informal and usually disapproving, describing confidence that comes across as excessive or annoying rather than simply self-assured.

Words with a similar meaning

arrogantconceitedbrash

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

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