Meaning & use
foppish
Last updated
Meaning
adjectivecomparableold-fashioneddisapproving
Showing too much concern for fancy clothes and grooming, in a vain, affected way, especially said of a man.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: a foppish young man; he looks foppish.
Patterns
- look foppish
- a foppish manner
The foppish count arrived in a lace collar and a perfumed wig.
He dressed in a foppish way, with a silk handkerchief in every pocket.
The actor played the part with a foppish drawl.
Word forms
| comparative | more foppish |
|---|---|
| superlative | most foppish |
Common combinations
- foppish clothes
- He was mocked for his foppish clothes.
- foppish manner
- The duke's foppish manner hid a sharp mind.
- foppish young man
- A foppish young man twirled his cane at the door.
- foppish air
- She imitated his foppish air perfectly.
- foppish character
- The foppish character in the play steals every scene.
Synonyms and how they differ
- dandified
- Dandified is nearly the same but focuses on dressing very elegantly, while foppish adds a note of silliness.
- vain
- Vain describes pride in appearance in general and can apply to anyone, but foppish suggests fussy male fashion.
- effete
- Effete suggests weakness and over-refinement, whereas foppish concentrates on showy dress.
- stylish
- Stylish is a compliment, while foppish is a mocking word for too much display.
Opposites
Word family
- fop noun
- a man overly concerned with fine clothes
- foppishly adverb
- in a vain, overly fashionable way
- foppishness noun
- the quality of being foppish
- foppery noun
- foppish behavior or dress
Commonly confused: foppish or dapper?
foppish vs dapper
Dapper is a compliment for a man who is neatly and smartly dressed. Foppish is mocking and suggests vanity and too much show.
Practice
Which person would a critic most likely describe as foppish?
Choose one answer.
Foppish describes excessive, affected care for clothes and appearance. The other people dress practically or casually.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “foppish”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.