cavalier 1 of 2

adjective

ˌka-və-ˈlir How to pronounce cavalier (audio)
Definition of cavaliernext
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude a cavalier and pompous boss, indifferent to the feelings of her subordinates

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

cavalier

2 of 2

noun

as in gentleman
an honorable and courteous man a novel about the dashing cavaliers and gracious ladies of the South before the Civil War

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cavalier
Adjective
Responsible or not, Polly’s behavior is therefore at best cavalier, and at worst, especially during his police room interviews, downright cocky. — Jon O'Brien, IndieWire, 22 July 2026 Rice closed in eventually and the heckler wasn't as cavalier. — Alejandro Avila Outkick, FOXNews.com, 17 July 2026 And the league seemingly demonstrated its frustration with the increasingly cavalier attitude of players toward the ASG in its proposal to the union about possible participation in the 2028 Olympics. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 15 July 2026 Later, in a conference room, Pathak and Gupta explained that their seemingly cavalier attitude toward robot welfare was actually motivated by concern for human safety. — Stephen Witt, New Yorker, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for cavalier
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cavalier
  1. arrogant
  2. gentleman
  3. superior
  4. pompous
Adjective
  • Ever-sensible Elinor, who never asks for much, has already met, and fallen for, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), Fanny’s brother, as kind and modest as Fanny is arrogant.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Hal and Kate, having misread Trowbridge’s shock and dismay at the tragic death of Austin Dennison as a worse-than-usual bit of arrogant posturing, switch to Bad Cop mode.
    — Sophie Brookover, Vulture, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Noun
  • And without hesitation, or even the need for another question, Ditka proved to be a perfect gentleman and told us his whole story about erectile dysfunction.
    — Bob Brody, Chicago Tribune, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Since his host has a strict rule about using human avatars in this environment, the bad guy now presents as the gentleman from The Blacklist rocking a wizard’s beard.
    — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of gentleman
Adjective
  • But adopting a hard line, superior attitude won’t convince anyone to quit.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Check back next week to see whether GPT can beat me in three straight weeks or if the human is due to remind AI that our brains are still superior.
    — Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of superior
Adjective
  • Instead, just enjoy the whacking of the pompous, the powerful and parents — that’s what Stone and Parker do.
    — Dominic Patten, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Symptoms include baby fever, exacerbated by the pregnancy announcement of her sister Macy (Zosia Mamet), and an intolerance to her pompous, long-term but non-committal boyfriend Spencer (Finn Wittrock).
    — Katie Walsh, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of pompous

Browse Nearby Words

cavalcades
cavalier
cavaliers
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Cite this Entry

“Cavalier.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cavalier. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on cavalier

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about cavalier

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