I’m sure at one time or another you’ve been so proud of something – be it an achievement, a new possession, or even another person – that you want everyone to know that it’s yours. You have to be careful, though, as if you show off too much, it could come across as arrogant.
meaning
To show something to other people with great pride, and usually a little arrogance. You can show off an possession, you can show off a talent, you can show off your children or your new boyfriend, or you can show off your latest exam marks. Here are some examples:
I can’t stand Verity. She’s always showing off about how well she does in English exams.
Look at Mark driving around, showing off his new Porsche.
Some parents love to show their children off to other parents, as if their child were better than others.
You don’t have to show off to impress me. I like you the way you are.
You can also use it as a noun, to describe someone as ‘a show-off’, meaning someone who displays their talents in front of other people with a little arrogance, as if to say ‘look at me!’
the grammar bit
‘Show off’ can be both intransitive and transitive, in which case it is separable. So you can say:
He is showing his new car off.
He is showing off his new car.
He is showing it off.
He is showing off.
But you can’t say:
He is showing off it.
songs
For another change of genre we have a song from the musical ‘The Drowsy Chaperone’ today, about a girl who doesn’t want to keep showing off and being the centre of attention:
discussion
Practise using ‘show off’ with these questions for you to think about:
- Do you like to show off your accomplishments or do you prefer to keep them quiet?
- Do you know anyone who tends to show off about their possessions or their talents?
- How can it make other people feel when someone shows off about something they have, or something they have achieved?
Phrasal Fanatics 