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

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 The Pride boast enough talent to clinch an National Women’s Soccer League playoff spot, but lapses in focus and uncharacteristic miscues led to a surprising 3-1 loss at Houston Wednesday and threatened to derail their season. — Iliana Limón Romero, Pro Soccer USA, "Orlando Pride earn 2-1 road win over Utah Royals," 14 July 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

In previous years, the Three Lions’ team sheet has boasted bigger names, maybe even greater talents, but not in my lifetime has there been an outfit which seemingly enjoys representing their country as today’s do. — SI.com, "90Min World Cup Fan Diaries: Starting to Believe," 8 July 2018 In Virginia, then-governor Terry McAuliffe boasted on a panel in October that the state led the nation in reductions in opioid prescribing, including a drop of a third in the prior six months. — Josephine Chu, USA TODAY, "Chronic pain patients, overlooked in opioid crisis, getting new attention from top at FDA," 2 July 2018 In addition to a slew of horror films from around the world, this event boasts parties and special guests. — Hannah Steinkopf-frank, RedEye Chicago, "Chicago festivals this week: Windy City Ribfest in Uptown, Vegandale Food and Drink Fest," 27 June 2018 In addition to the bird that thinks it’s a bat, Atiu boasts another unique feature, the tumunu. — Christopher Muther, BostonGlobe.com, "Cook Islands: The tropical paradise you need to visit before everyone else does," 13 June 2018 Oakland Mills boasted two individual regional champions in Cameron Vereen in the 100 and Jared Nguyen in the 800 while taking second place in the 4x400 and 4x800 relays. — Kyle Stackpole, Howard County Times, "Several county teams win outdoor track and field regional titles," 22 May 2018 In San Francisco, for example, the ads boast about improvements to Muni and extending BART to San Jose. — Matier & Ross, San Francisco Chronicle, "Supporters come out hard as support for Bay Area bridge toll hike is squishy," 20 May 2018 She apparently is unfazed by the repercussions boasting in a tweet today, quote, all my donations, my goal is to support all those opposed to Trump, Rosie.com. — Fox News, "West Virginia Senate candidate on high-stakes primary," 8 May 2018 Even Lollapalooza’s 25th annual festival in Chicago only boasted 400,000 concert-goers. — refinery29.com, "Black Women Dominate The Biggest Music Festival of the Year & No One Knows," 6 July 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.