Definition of bravado
bravadoes
orbravados
1a : blustering swaggering conduct youthful bravadob : a pretense of bravery
2 : the quality or state of being foolhardy
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Examples of bravado in a Sentence
His stories are always told with bravado.
I remember his youthful bravado.
Recent Examples of bravado from the Web
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When asked about the possibility of meeting the same fate as Mas, Puigdemont answered with bravado.
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Noriega never had ideological compunctions and enjoyed goading the U.S., until his bravado led to his undoing.
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Rateliff fronted the band with bravado, switching between rhythmic tambourine and twangy solos on his guitar all while singing lead.
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Yet, the opportunity to witness the Trumps together on this five-city tour is a learning tool of sorts, a way to see her independence, and his bravado, meld together for the first time in the public eye.
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In spite of his public bravado, Valdez nursed private worries.
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That may be corporate bravado, but there's plenty of it to go around in this fast-growing business.
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.
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.
Origin and Etymology of bravado
Middle French bravade & Old Spanish bravata, from Old Italian bravata, from bravare to challenge, show off, from bravo
First Known Use: circa 1580
BRAVADO Defined for English Language Learners
bravado
playDefinition of bravado for English Language Learners
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: confident or brave talk or behavior that is intended to impress other people
Learn More about bravado
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Spanish Central: Translation of bravado Nglish: Translation of bravado for Spanish speakers
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