boast

noun

\ˈbōst

\

Definition of boast

(Entry 1 of 3)

1 : a statement expressing excessive pride in oneself : the act or an instance of boasting (see boast entry 2) : brag It may sound like a boast, but I truly am very wealthy.

2 : a cause for pride

boast

verb (1)

boasted; boasting; boasts

Definition of boast (Entry 2 of 3)

intransitive verb

1 : to praise oneself extravagantly in speech : speak of oneself with excessive pride boasting about her accomplishments

2 archaic : glory, exult

transitive verb

1 : to speak of or assert with excessive pride He liked to boast that he was the richest man in town.

2a : to possess and often call attention to (something that is a source of pride) boasts a new stadium

b : have, contain a room boasting no more than a desk and a chair

boast

verb (2)

boasted; boasting; boasts

Definition of boast (Entry 3 of 3)

transitive verb

: to shape (stone) roughly in sculpture and stonecutting as a preliminary to finer work

Other Words from boast Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about boast

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Other Words from boast

Noun

boastful \ˈbōst-fəl

\ adjective

boastfully \ˈbōst-fə-lē

\ adverb

boastfulness noun

Verb (1)

boaster noun

Choose the Right Synonym for boast

Verb (1)

boast, brag, vaunt, crow mean to express pride in oneself or one's accomplishments. boast often suggests ostentation and exaggeration boasts of every trivial success , but it may imply a claiming with proper and justifiable pride. the town boasts one of the best museums in the area brag suggests crudity and artlessness in glorifying oneself. bragging of their exploits vaunt usually connotes more pomp and bombast than boast and less crudity or naïveté than brag. vaunted his country's military might crow usually implies exultant boasting or bragging. crowed after winning the championship

Examples of boast in a Sentence

Noun

When he says he's the richest man in town, he's not just making an idle boast. We were offended by his boast that he would easily beat us. The museum's proudest boast is its collection of rare gems.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

At a rally in Montana on Thursday, the president found yet another role for John: as a foil for one of his exaggerated boasts. — Amanda Svachula, BostonGlobe.com, "What’s the deal with President Trump and Elton John?," 7 July 2018 Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations. — Jen Kirby, Vox, "Parkland activists respond to Santa Fe school shooting: “You didn’t deserve this”," 19 May 2018 Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations. — Madeleine Aggeler, The Cut, "Santa Fe High School Student Says She Wasn’t Surprised by Shooting," 18 May 2018 Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations. — Washington Post, "Parkland students on Texas: “They’re part of this now”," 18 May 2018 Prepare to watch the NRA boast about getting higher donations. — Chris Harris, PEOPLE.com, "Survivors of Florida Massacre React After at Least 8 Killed in Texas School Shooting: 'We Are Fighting for You'," 18 May 2018 Always keep your freelance profile exceptionally maintained, boast about the things that differentiate you from the competition, and if possible, include previous work examples, client testimonials, and recommendations. — Jenny Knizner, USA TODAY, "How to Thrive in the Freelance Economy," 25 June 2018 Carmel and Zionsville aim for more trophies Carmel and Zionsville boast athletic departments that have already brought in at least one state title this year. — Jordan Guskey, Indianapolis Star, "IHSAA boys golf state finals: 5 things to watch," 11 June 2018 The opening of Cafe de Champion at 41 W. 31st St. in Bronzeville was a cause for celebration in Chicago’s African-American community, not because of its lavish furnishings, but because the name of the nightclub was not a boast. — Charles J. Johnson, chicagotribune.com, "The short, sad story of Cafe de Champion — Jack Johnson's mixed-race nightclub on Chicago's South Side," 25 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Liam Fox, the trade secretary, boasts about his contacts with conservative Washington. — The Economist, "The special relationship once enriched Britain’s politics. No longer," 5 July 2018 Most New Yorkers like boasting about their food as much as eating it. — Mary Wang, Vogue, "Could This Restaurant Be the Sweetgreen of Chinese Food?," 26 June 2018 In a letter to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner penned last week, Bush endorsed his hometown while boasting about the city's many amenities. — Fernando Ramirez, Houston Chronicle, "George H.W. Bush writes funny letter to Houston Mayor over Democrat National Convention," 26 June 2018 An even more incendiary interview surfaced online in March, in which Patterson can be heard boasting about having counseled an abused woman, who showed up to church with two black eyes, to submit to domestic violence as her wifely duty. — Virginia Heffernan, WIRED, "ChurchToo and Mike Pence’s Crisis of Faith," 21 June 2018 Images of black men kneeling as Jay-Z calls out the NFL and boasts about turning down the Super Bowl feel cathartic. — Ira Madison Iii, GQ, "Everything Is Love Review: The Cost of a Monarchy," 19 June 2018 With so many posts boasting about the positive effects of a certain food or sounding the alarm over a diet that backfired, this post was a huge breath of fresh air. — Blake Bakkila, Health.com, "What This Woman Learned About Her Body After Eating a Cookie Every Day for a Week," 11 June 2018 David immediately runs off to tell Becca that Jordan was boasting about his Tinder game. — Aurelie Corinthios, PEOPLE.com, "Becca Kufrin Gets Emotional as Bachelorette Contestant Exits Season After Sustaining Injury," 11 June 2018 Priyanka Chopra has time and again boasted about having tight control over her scripts, and is a Fauji kid on top of that, bears at least some responsibility. — Morgan M. Evans, Fox News, "ABC apologizes for controversial ‘Quantico’ episode, defends star Priyanka Chopra," 9 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'boast.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for boast

Noun

Middle English boost

Verb (1)

see boast entry 1

Verb (2)

origin unknown

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Dictionary Entries near boast

Statistics for boast

Last Updated

27 Sep 2018

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for boast

The first known use of boast was in the 14th century

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More Definitions for boast

boast

noun

English Language Learners Definition of boast

: a statement in which you express too much pride in yourself or in something you have, have done, or are connected to in some way

: a reason to be proud : something impressive that someone or something has or has done

See the full definition for boast in the English Language Learners Dictionary

boast

verb

\ˈbōst

\

boasted; boasting

Kids Definition of boast

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : to express too much pride in a person's own qualities, possessions, or achievements Players on the other team boasted of their strength.

2 : to have and be proud of having Our school boasts more top students than any other in the city.

boast

noun

Kids Definition of boast (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : an act of expressing too much pride in a person's own qualities, possessions, or achievements

2 : a cause for pride

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