chest-thumping
noun
chest-thump·ing
ˈches(t)-ˌthəm-piŋ 
: conduct or expression marked by pompous or arrogant self-assertion
political chest-thumping
Examples of chest-thumping in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Not the loud, chest-thumping kind, but the quiet sort that turned the Nets from a punchline into a problem.
—
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
In the long lead-up to the events on Jan. 3, the Trump administration hoped that dedicating a significant amount of U.S. naval assets, combined with Trump’s chest-thumping speeches, would convince the Venezuelan military to turn against Maduro.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Video creations: 510,000 Video examples: Creators that haven’t encountered Indian hip hop are taking to TikTok to showcase their initial reactions and share chest-thumping dance routines.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
In an instant, his offseason bravado and chest-thumping interviews with national reporters made sense.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2025
But in the Trump era of flashy braggadocio and chest-thumping one-upmanship, Newsom is fighting fire with fire.
—Matt K. Lewis, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025
Zscaler’s volume—half a trillion transactions a day—isn’t just chest-thumping.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Crow-Armstrong had a big series against the Sox and seems to enjoy being a villain in the eyes of Sox fans for his chest-thumping, arm-waving celebrations.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
The chest-thumping celebrations in the White House and the antics of its pet-project DOGE intersected to rile up Democrats, who have been trying to defend all corners of the federal cogs.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
C.j. Holmes, New York Daily News, 6 Jan. 2026
In the long lead-up to the events on Jan. 3, the Trump administration hoped that dedicating a significant amount of U.S. naval assets, combined with Trump’s chest-thumping speeches, would convince the Venezuelan military to turn against Maduro.
—Washington Post, 5 Jan. 2026
Video creations: 510,000 Video examples: Creators that haven’t encountered Indian hip hop are taking to TikTok to showcase their initial reactions and share chest-thumping dance routines.
—Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2025
In an instant, his offseason bravado and chest-thumping interviews with national reporters made sense.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 9 Oct. 2025
But in the Trump era of flashy braggadocio and chest-thumping one-upmanship, Newsom is fighting fire with fire.
—Matt K. Lewis, Mercury News, 28 Aug. 2025
Zscaler’s volume—half a trillion transactions a day—isn’t just chest-thumping.
—Tony Bradley, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Crow-Armstrong had a big series against the Sox and seems to enjoy being a villain in the eyes of Sox fans for his chest-thumping, arm-waving celebrations.
—Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2025
The chest-thumping celebrations in the White House and the antics of its pet-project DOGE intersected to rile up Democrats, who have been trying to defend all corners of the federal cogs.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 14 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Chest-thumping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/chest-thumping. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
