Showboating refers to ostentatious behaviour which is apparently designed to attract attention and admiration. This type of behaviour typically originates from confidence in one’s abilities which is then exaggerated to emphasize superiority over others.

What is showboat based on?

It is based on Edna Ferber’s best-selling 1926 novel of the same name. The musical follows the lives of the performers, stagehands and dock workers on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, over 40 years from 1887 to 1927. Its themes include racial prejudice and tragic, enduring love.

What's a synonym for showboating?

(informal, chiefly US) Present participle for to show off, typically with playful or boisterous behavior. grandstanding. posturing. hotdogging. impressing.