bravado

noun

bra·va·do | \ brə-ˈvä-(ˌ)dō

plural bravadoes or bravados

Definition of bravado

1a : blustering swaggering conduct youthful bravado

b : a pretense of bravery

2 : the quality or state of being foolhardy

Did You Know? More Example Sentences Learn More about bravado

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Did You Know?

Bravado ultimately traces to the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning "courageous" or "wild." Nowadays, the wildness once associated with bravado has been tamed to an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. Celebrities, political or corporate giants, and the schoolyard bully may all show bravado (though they often turn out to be not so tough after all). Bravado is also used for show-offish, daring acts that seem reckless and inconsistent with good sense, but might, nonetheless, be applauded with shouts of Bravo! when successful. The spectacular feats of stuntmen come to mind, for example.

Examples of bravado in a Sentence

His stories are always told with bravado. I remember his youthful bravado.

Recent Examples on the Web

Koepka said, in a tone more matter-of-fact than flowing with bravado. — Ron Kroichick, SFChronicle.com, "Brooks Koepka lurks in U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, eyeing slice of history," 15 June 2019 The Warriors’ locker room, usually full of chatter, joy, bravado and swagger, was funereal. — Dan Woike, latimes.com, "If this was Warriors’ last game at Oracle Arena, it's hard for fans to swallow," 8 June 2019 Despite the braying and bravado, however, Trump is perhaps in the worst position of any incumbent president in recent history. — Alex Shephard, The New Republic, "Trump’s Kick-Off Rally Showcases What the President Does Best," 19 June 2019 In a lot of cases that is a coach, because they are trained to have that bravado, that leadership, that salesman experience. — Conor Orr, SI.com, "Unraveling the Texans’ GM Drama | The MMQB NFL Podcast," 13 June 2019 If anything, despite my initial bravado about sharing my story with the masses, the weeks leading up to my episode’s release were filled with doubt and apprehension. — Washington Post, "I opened up about my stalker to a true crime podcast. Here’s why it helped me heal.," 19 June 2019 At Tuesday’s rally, Mr. Trump made no mention of disappointing polls, preferring instead to display his trademark bravado. — Maggie Haberman, New York Times, "Trump, at Rally in Florida, Kicks Off His 2020 Re-election Bid," 18 June 2019 Follow in the footsteps of gladiators at the Roman Colosseum, then test your bravado at a gladiator school. — National Geographic, "Italy Family Journey: Venice to Rome," 12 June 2019 The hushed gravitas and simplicity of the original restaurant had clearly been eradicated in favor of a more boisterous bravado. — Steven Stolman, Town & Country, "A Clear-Eyed Assessment of the New Four Seasons—By Someone Who Loved the Old One," 7 Sep. 2018

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