flaunt

verb

\ˈflȯnt,

ˈflänt\

flaunted; flaunting; flaunts

Definition of flaunt

intransitive verb

1 : to display or obtrude oneself to public notice a great flaunting crowd— Charles Dickens

2 : to wave or flutter showily the flag flaunts in the breeze

transitive verb

1 : to display ostentatiously or impudently : parade flaunting his superiority a chance to flaunt clothes, bodies, and sexuality — New Yorker

2 : to treat contemptuously flaunted the rules— Louis Untermeyer

Other Words from flaunt Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym Flaunt vs. Flout More Example Sentences Learn More about flaunt

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Other Words from flaunt

flaunt noun

flauntingly \ ˈflȯn-tiŋ-lē ,

ˈflän- \ adverb

flaunty \ ˈflȯn--tē ,

ˈflän- \ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for flaunt

show, exhibit, display, expose, parade, flaunt mean to present so as to invite notice or attention. show implies no more than enabling another to see or examine. showed her snapshots to the whole group exhibit stresses putting forward prominently or openly. exhibit paintings at a gallery display emphasizes putting in a position where others may see to advantage. display sale items expose suggests bringing forth from concealment and displaying. sought to expose the hypocrisy of the town fathers parade implies an ostentatious or arrogant displaying. parading their piety for all to see flaunt suggests a shameless, boastful, often offensive parading. nouveaux riches flaunting their wealth

Flaunt vs. Flout: Usage Guide

Although the "treat contemptuously" sense of flaunt undoubtedly arose from confusion with flout, the contexts in which it appears cannot be called substandard. meting out punishment to the occasional mavericks who operate rigged games, tolerate rowdyism, or otherwise flaunt the law — Oscar Lewis observed with horror the flaunting of their authority in the suburbs, where men … put up buildings that had no place at all in a Christian commonwealth — Marchette Chute in our profession … very rarely do we publicly chastise a colleague who has flaunted our most basic principles — R. T. Blackburn, AAUP Bull. If you use it, however, you should be aware that many people will consider it a mistake. Use of flout in the sense of "flaunt, parade" is found occasionally. "The proper pronunciation," the blonde said, flouting her refined upbringing, "is pree feeks" — Mike Royko

Examples of flaunt in a Sentence

She liked to flaunt her wealth by wearing furs and jewelry. They openly flaunted the rules.

Recent Examples on the Web

Nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles are quietly being mass-produced but Kim won’t flaunt them. — Foster Klug, The Seattle Times, "“Grand Theater”: Has N. Korea’s Kim won a propaganda coup?," 18 Sep. 2018 The Real Housewives of New Jersey star, 46, flaunted her ripped abs, toned arms and muscular legs in a tiny two-piece bikini at the NPC South Jersey Bodybuilding Championships on Saturday in Medford, New Jersey. — Mike Miller, PEOPLE.com, "Teresa Giudice Proudly Displays Her Muscles in a Bikini at Bodybuilding Competition," 9 June 2018 The model flaunted them literally all weekend long, starting off Friday night in a 100% see-through gold mini straight out of the '90s. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Kendall Jenner Had Her Nipples on Display All Weekend Long at the Cannes Film Festival," 14 May 2018 San Diego flaunted its lack of fielding elegance on Monday night. — Andy Mccullough, latimes.com, "Dodgers extend win streak to four with sweep over Padres," 19 Apr. 2018 Rather than flaunt her bump like many women choose to do, for her fourth time around Ms. Beckham wore loose fitting clothes to draw attention away from her growing belly. — Redbook, "Results of the Great Mom Debate: Would You Do a "Bump Portrait" While Pregnant?," 18 July 2011 The moratorium is still in place, though non-member countries such as Japan and Russia flaunt it. — Marissa Fessenden, Smithsonian, "Antarctica’s Waters May Soon Harbor a Boom of Baby Humpback Whales," 5 May 2018 By flaunting its military might, North Korea is also believed to be attempting to further drive a wedge between the U.S. and South Korea. — Adam K. Raymond, Daily Intelligencer, "North Korea’s Military Parade Comes at a Bad Time for Trump," 8 Feb. 2018 Some travelers stayed away in the aftermath of the fires, but the valley was soon back on its feet, flaunting a more dynamic and fashionable face than ever. — New York Times, "36 Hours in Napa Valley," 21 June 2018

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