bravado

noun

bra·​va·​do brə-ˈvä-(ˌ)dō How to pronounce bravado (audio)
plural bravadoes or bravados
1
a
: blustering swaggering conduct
youthful bravado
b
: a pretense of bravery
2
: the quality or state of being foolhardy

Did you know?

Displays of bravado may be show-offish, daring, reckless, and inconsistent with good sense—take, for example, the spectacular feats of stuntpeople—but when successful they are still likely to be met with shouts of "bravo!" Celebrities, political leaders, corporate giants, and schoolyard bullies, however, may show a different flavor of bravado: one that suggests an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. The word bravado originally comes from the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning "wild" or "courageous," which English has also to thank for the more ubiquitous brave.

Examples of bravado in a Sentence

His stories are always told with bravado. I remember his youthful bravado.
Recent Examples on the Web Roosevelt managed to make his speech and, in a bit of bravado, used his bloodied shirt and tattered speech as a symbol of his resilience. Chris Foran, Journal Sentinel, 13 Feb. 2024 Over the course of the show, the men’s bravado—on display in boisterous bar scenes, complete with drinking songs and a fistfight with British airmen—fades into shellshocked resignation as more of their friends fail to return from missions. Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Jan. 2024 But Zuck’s bravado is unflatteringly being compared to the overly hasty obituary for the iPhone written by rival Steve Ballmer when the revolutionary device first launched nearly 17 years ago. Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 Feb. 2024 Because every time the Spartans tried, Rutgers would counter with its own fortitude and bravado. Detroit Free Press, 14 Jan. 2024 But there needs to be some humility in the wake of everything that’s happened that goes along with that bravado. Janie McCauley, USA TODAY, 10 Jan. 2024 As Elly’s guide on this overwhelming journey, Rockwell steals the show, presenting a more human-scale spy who still does amazing things with smart-alecky wit and bravado. Brian Lowry, CNN, 1 Feb. 2024 In the 1970s and ’80s, that Texas wrestling dynasty led by Fritz Von Erich (real name: Jack Adkisson) shot to fame with the increasing bravado and success of his five sons, Kerry, Kevin, Chris, Mike and David, all of whom followed in their father’s footsteps to take up the sport for a time. Ed Symkus, Washington Post, 19 Dec. 2023 That all the performers are now in their 50s and 60s should provide the concert an air of nostalgia for a genre still largely fueled by youthful bravado. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'bravado.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bravade & Old Spanish bravata, from Old Italian bravata, from bravare to challenge, show off, from bravo

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of bravado was circa 1580

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Dictionary Entries Near bravado

Cite this Entry

“Bravado.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bravado. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

bravado

noun
bra·​va·​do brə-ˈväd-ō How to pronounce bravado (audio)
plural bravadoes or bravados
: a display of reckless or pretended bravery

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