cowboy

1 of 2

noun

cow·​boy ˈkau̇-ˌbȯi How to pronounce cowboy (audio)
1
: one who tends cattle or horses
especially : a usually mounted cattle-ranch hand
2
: a rodeo performer
3
: one having qualities (such as recklessness, aggressiveness, or independence) popularly associated with cowboys: such as
a
: a reckless driver
b
: a business or businessperson operating in an uncontrolled or unregulated manner

cowboy

2 of 2

verb

cowboyed; cowboying; cowboys

intransitive verb

: to work as a cowboy
cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma

Did you know?

In the American West, a horseman skilled at handling cattle is called a cowboy. From ca.1820, cowboys were employed in small numbers on Texas ranches. After the Civil War, their numbers rapidly multiplied as cattle-raising evolved into a lucrative industry throughout the western territories. Cowboys rounded up and branded the cattle, kept watch over the herd, and drove those ready for market to railroad towns. As the agricultural frontier moved west, the open range was transformed into farms, and by 1890 cowboys had been forced to settle on ranches. The romance of their image lives on in American folklore and through movies and television.

Examples of cowboy in a Sentence

Noun a movie about cowboys in the old West He worked for several years as a cowboy on a ranch in Texas. We've got a bunch of risk-taking cowboys running this project. Verb He cowboyed in Texas and Oklahoma.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Her debut, Metal Storm, is a big-budget space Western about a cowboy and alien whose intense romance ends abruptly. Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Ever since the model began dating Adan Banuelos, a professional cowboy, earlier this year, Hadid has been leaning into a more western look: She’s slipped into pieces like fringed chaps, leather jackets and of course, cowboy hats. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 13 Mar. 2024 Like American cowboys and medieval knights, samurai are historical figures that have become prominent character archetypes. Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 8 Mar. 2024 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma Experience everything from classic cowboy culture to cutting-edge museums to bohemian galleries housed in colorful Spanish Revival architecture in the area’s distinctive districts. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Mar. 2024 In the latter, a black cowboy embarks on a trip on horseback across colonial Africa, merging decolonial activism, history and mysticism, promised Katjavivi. Marta Balaga, Variety, 21 Feb. 2024 With this being her fourth cowboy hat moment within the month, the singer is clearly sending us the message to channel our inner cowboy and continue wearing silver for 2024. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 14 Feb. 2024 Washington Plaza downtown was transformed into a fairground – not for a speech by Biden, but for the start of Charro Days, the three-day event named for the Mexican cowboys of the region’s history. USA TODAY, 29 Feb. 2024 The festival celebrates the Mexican cowboy heritage, the Mexican American culture and the area's ties with Mexico. Suzanne Gamboa, NBC News, 28 Feb. 2024
Verb
From Bambi blonde to cowboy copper and everything in between, Vogue breaks down some of the hottest fall hair colors to try now, with help from industry experts. Hannah Coates, Vogue, 5 Oct. 2023 That was her way of telling me to cowboy up. IEEE Spectrum, 9 Sep. 2022 Mask on, cowboy up. Sarah Blaskovich, Dallas News, 16 Sep. 2020 There is an inherent if slight risk, from precipitation to critters and privacy-oblivious creeps to cowboy camping; witnessing the other half of a day, or of nature itself, is a righteous reward. Grayson Haver Currin, Outside Online, 27 July 2021 Encompassing 37 pieces for men and women, the collection includes just about every western-wear staple from Yellowstone Dutton Ranch jackets to cowboy work shirts. Oscar Hartzog, Rolling Stone, 17 May 2022 The Angels entered the game with more homers than any team in baseball besides the Toronto Blue Jays, providing many opportunities to cowboy up in the dugout. Steve Hensonassistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2022 The Book Festival makes a point of including all types of work, from traditional novels to cowboy poetry. Kaitlyn Bancroft, The Salt Lake Tribune, 30 Sep. 2021 The church and its magnetic leader, a descendant of pioneering pastors who preached to cowboy stars from a bygone Hollywood age, seem to revel in their contrarian role. Los Angeles Times, 8 Nov. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'cowboy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1623, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1925, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of cowboy was in 1623

Dictionary Entries Near cowboy

Cite this Entry

“Cowboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cowboy. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

cowboy

noun
cow·​boy
-ˌbȯi
: one who tends cattle or horses
especially : a mounted cattle-ranch worker

More from Merriam-Webster on cowboy

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!