cowboys and indians: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Informal, sometimes derogatory or critical.
Quick answer
What does “cowboys and indians” mean?
A children's role-playing game where participants pretend to be cowboys and Native Americans, often engaging in mock battles.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A children's role-playing game where participants pretend to be cowboys and Native Americans, often engaging in mock battles.
Refers broadly to any simplistic or overly romanticized portrayal of conflict between two opposing groups, especially in a historical or political context. Often used critically to describe outdated, stereotypical, or binary thinking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The phrase is understood in both varieties but carries stronger cultural resonance and historical immediacy in American English. In British English, it's more likely to be used purely as a metaphor for simplistic conflict.
Connotations
Increasingly pejorative in both varieties due to recognition of cultural insensitivity and historical simplification. In the US, it directly references a painful colonial history.
Frequency
More frequent in American English, though its use for the actual children's game has sharply declined. The metaphorical use appears in political and media commentary in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “cowboys and indians” in a Sentence
It's just ~ (metaphor)playing ~ (literal)a ~ narrative/viewVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cowboys and indians” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- They were cowboys-and-indianing in the garden all afternoon. (Very rare, non-standard)
American English
- The kids are out cowboys-and-indians-ing. (Very rare, non-standard)
adjective
British English
- He has a cowboys-and-indians understanding of geopolitics.
American English
- The debate devolved into a cowboys-and-Indians shouting match. (Note occasional cap for 'Indians' in US)
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Used critically to describe overly simplistic market competition ('Their strategy is just cowboys and indians').
Academic
Used in cultural studies, history, and media criticism to analyze simplistic narratives of conflict.
Everyday
Mostly used by older generations to recall the game, or metaphorically to dismiss a simplistic argument.
Technical
Not used in technical fields; appears only in metaphorical, non-literal commentary.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cowboys and indians”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cowboys and indians”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cowboys and indians”
- Capitalizing 'indians' (it's not a proper noun in this fixed phrase).
- Using it in formal writing without critical/scare quotes.
- Failing to recognize its offensive potential when referring to the actual game.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it can be, especially when referring to the children's game, as it trivializes the violence and displacement suffered by Native Americans. The metaphorical use is less directly offensive but still carries connotations of immaturity and simplification.
Similar role-playing games exist but with different themes (superheroes, fantasy adventurers, etc.). Many educators and parents avoid games based on real historical ethnic conflicts.
You can, but only as a quoted term or a critical metaphor (e.g., 'the so-called "cowboys and indians" narrative'). It should not be used as a neutral descriptive term.
The order likely reflects the dominant cultural perspective of the time the phrase was coined, positioning the cowboys (often the protagonists in Western media) first. There is no grammatical reason for this order.
A children's role-playing game where participants pretend to be cowboys and Native Americans, often engaging in mock battles.
Cowboys and indians is usually informal, sometimes derogatory or critical. in register.
Cowboys and indians: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊ.bɔɪz ən ˈɪn.di.ənz/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkaʊ.bɔɪz ən ˈɪn.di.ənz/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “It's not a game of cowboys and indians.”
- “This is more complex than cowboys and indians.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old, black-and-white TV western with clear-cut heroes and villains – that's the simplistic 'cowboys and indians' view of the world.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPLEX HISTORY IS A CHILD'S GAME; OVERSIMPLIFICATION IS PLAY-ACTING.
Practice
Quiz
In modern usage, the phrase 'cowboys and indians' is MOST often used to: