keyboard cowboy
1
9.5
- noun
- Offensive
:
guerrero del teclado
- She ignored the threats made by the keyboard cowboy, knowing he would never confront her offline.
Examples
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After getting called out for his comments, the keyboard cowboy quickly deleted his posts.
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It's easy to be a keyboard cowboy when you never have to face someone in real life.
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Don't be such a keyboard cowboy in the comments!
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Many keyboard cowboys hide behind their screens.
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During the online debate, he became a true keyboard cowboy, challenging everyone with bold statements.
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She transformed into a keyboard cowboy in the forum, posting aggressive comments she would never say face-to-face.
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Many keyboard cowboys thrive in online gaming, where they often criticize opponents without fearing direct confrontation.
Synonyms
1
8.9
A person who posts angry, insulting messages online
1
7.3
A person who posts angry or attacking comments online without acting in real life
A person who says things in a direct, often rude way and does not listen
A person in an online group who often posts rude or silly messages to get a reaction
How Aggressive
Surface Forms
Morphology
keyboard + cowboy
The compound combines 'keyboard' (indicating the online/typing context) with 'cowboy' (a metaphor for a reckless, bold person), so a learner who knows both words can readily infer 'a person who behaves recklessly or aggressively online.' This is a straightforward compositional metaphor (akin to 'keyboard warrior') and therefore likely understandable to a B1 learner without prior exposure.
Etymology
Keyboard cowboy uses the image of a bold cowboy hiding behind a keyboard. The picture shows someone who acts brave or aggressive online, so it means 'a person who behaves boldly or aggressively on the internet but would not do the same in real life'.