To act in a way that draws attention to yourself because you want others to admire you, often by talking about your achievements or possessions.
He always tries to show off by talking about his expensive car.
A: Did you see how much Sarah talked about her new job? B: Yeah, she just loves to show off.
In my opinion, some people show off on social media by posting pictures of their luxury holidays.
Common mistake
✗He likes to show off himself.
✓He likes to show off.
In the 'brag' sense it's intransitive — no object 'himself'.
Tell it apart
He's just showing off.
bragging for attention
He's showing off his new watch.
displaying it proudly — sense 2
Used when someone tries to impress others, often in an annoying way.Different from 'brag', which is usually just talking; 'show off' can include actions.