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

Shows including One Day at a Time and Jane the Virgin boast talented casts illustrating a variety of experiences that Latinx people can identify with. — Isabella Gomez, Teen Vogue, "The Emmys 2018 Are More Diverse Than Ever — But Latinx Stories Are Still Missing," 17 Sep. 2018 Mr Yameen, meanwhile, campaigns on a mix of warnings about threats to the country’s Islamic faith and boasts of his record in luring investment. — The Economist, "Democracy is foundering in the Maldives," 21 June 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 The contracts oblige the companies to separate 20 percent of the waste for recycling, while other cities boast of separating 80 percent, according to environmental experts. — Washington Post, "A big stink erupts over landfills ringing Russia’s capital," 19 June 2018 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

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

During Super Bowl 18, Subaru aired the first commercial to boast its J.D. Power rankings. — Aditi Shrikant, Vox, "How James David Power III created the only car ranking company you’ve ever heard of.," 27 Nov. 2018 Similarly, boasts about Republican achievements in the Senate should be taken with a grain of salt. — Linda Qiu, The Seattle Times, "A Fact-Checker’s Guide to Thanksgiving Politics," 21 Nov. 2018 The monitor promises a 32:9 aspect ratio, which isn't a new development, but the UltraSharp is the first of its kind to boast 5120 x 1440 resolution. — Sam Blum, Popular Mechanics, "Dell's Enormous Curved Monitor Is Here to Bombard You With Screen," 15 Oct. 2018 If the show's writing and visual language don't give it away, Saul happens to boast one of television's most experienced and creative staff and crew. — Nathan Mattise, Ars Technica, "No lasers or Linux hacks, but Better Call Saul remains one of TV’s techiest shows," 27 Aug. 2018 To make things ever funnier, Ray then proceeded to do his own impression of the TAG actor which involved him boasting about his good looks. — Kayla Keegan, Good Housekeeping, "Ray Romano Had the Ultimate Response to Jon Hamm Who Mocked Him on 'Jimmy Fallon'," 3 Aug. 2018 Warren County officials have long boasted about being frugal with taxpayer money, and the county made national news earlier this decade for its lack of debt. — Keith Bierygolick, Cincinnati.com, "Addicted, abused and unable to count: a federal lawsuit about damaged kids in Warren County," 12 July 2018 Long wasn't just boasting about his connections with football. — Sam Mellinger, kansascity, "Hello, KU AD Jeff Long. Goodbye, football coach David Beaty," 11 July 2018 On paper, the Bucs appear to boast a talented roster. — Mike Jones, USA TODAY, "Because of his past, Jameis Winston can’t afford more transgressions," 22 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.