as in cowpoke
a hired hand who tends cattle or horses at a ranch or on the range
cowboys were rounding up the cattle for branding
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cowboy
National Photo Committee know the best stories around a cowboy’s campfire come down to who’s telling them, and Bottner is both a powerful singer and a towering narrator.
—
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
Because behind every ride is an echo of the thousands of Black cowboys who helped shape the American West.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
The commercial also featured real cowboys, construction workers and climbers.
—Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Introduced by Jack Black, Illumination chief Chris Meledandri was on hand today in Las Vegas, unfurling a long look that shows the Minions in the Midwest chasing a robber cowboy on horse, train and plane and cornering him.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cowboy
Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 22 Apr. 2026
Because behind every ride is an echo of the thousands of Black cowboys who helped shape the American West.
—Brian Unger, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
The commercial also featured real cowboys, construction workers and climbers.
—Jack Armstrong, USA Today, 15 Apr. 2026
Introduced by Jack Black, Illumination chief Chris Meledandri was on hand today in Las Vegas, unfurling a long look that shows the Minions in the Midwest chasing a robber cowboy on horse, train and plane and cornering him.
—Matt Grobar, Deadline, 15 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cowboy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cowboy
Noun
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The all-inclusive dude ranch is about a 90-minute drive from Reno, Nevada, and has invited travelers to get in touch with their inner cowpoke since 1962.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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For cowpokes looking to escape winter’s bite, White Stallion Ranch operates year-round, offering trail rides among the cactuses on 3,000 acres bordering Saguaro National Park.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
21 Nov. 2025
Noun
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Residents and visitors will line the streets to watch cowhands from various ranches herd more than 30 Longhorns through town, a tradition dating back to when the parade was a downtown cattle drive.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
7 Jan. 2026
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There are plenty of places to take a horse, with experienced cowhands to guide the way.—
Jenny Peters,
Oc Register,
9 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Joe worked as a cowpuncher in Flagler, Colo., making $150 a day tending to cattle on horseback.—
Jose A. Del Real,
Washington Post,
6 Nov. 2022
Noun
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The extension of credit is a very nuanced skill that is best left to bankers who are compensated mostly through salary with a small bonus component and not by deal-making buckaroos who are heavily incentivized to lend other people's money and move on to the next deal.—
Mark Avallone,
Forbes.com,
12 Mar. 2026
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There are muddy buckaroo boots worn by some lucky child, and the tiny boots of Major Lynn White (1838-1915), then the world’s smallest man.—
Sandra Dallas,
Denver Post,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The six horsemen follow upstairs, to the upper floors, into the apartment.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 Apr. 2026
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The horsemen hoped to develop alternative options during the extension of racing at Golden Gate Fields that previously had been canceled.—
John Cherwa,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The picture-perfect cowman’s paradise of Stockyards City is true to its stripes—and nowhere is this more evident than in Cattlemen’s Steakhouse.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
29 Mar. 2025
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The reply of my friend and hunting companion was one of those quaint, rasping epithets which only a cowman can manage when everything has gone wrong.—
Frank C. Hibben,
Outdoor Life,
27 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Fringe detailing on a vest or leather jacket hearkens back to the rancher influence of cowboy boots, and pairing it with more structured pieces like a shirt dress and gold jewelry offers a fun, modern take on Westernwear.—
Abby Morgan Lebet,
Glamour,
20 Apr. 2026
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The longhorns are coming from Flying U Rodeo and the cattle are from rancher Reno Rosser, according to Collinsworth.—
Corey Schmidt,
Sacbee.com,
19 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cowboy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cowboy. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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