Calvin Tomkins
Did you know?
Vaunted Has Latin Roots
The verb vaunt has been used since the 15th century with the meaning “to make a vain display of one’s own worth or attainments”—in other words, “to brag or boast.” Over time, vaunt developed the meaning “to boast of (a particular thing),” as in “the promotional flier vaunts the natural beauty of the area,” and that use gave rise to the adjectival form vaunted. The history of vaunt and vaunted leads back to the Latin word vānus, with the meanings “lacking content, empty, illusory, marked by foolish or empty pride.” The word vain itself is also a descendant of vānus.
Examples of vaunted in a Sentence
Steven Louis Goldstein, New York Times, 20 Mar. 2026
While Duke has incubated plenty of big-name stars such as Cooper Flagg and Paolo Banchero, other vaunted recruits, such as Cam Reddish, never lived up to the hype.
—Justin Birnbaum, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2026
Led by captain Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, its vaunted lineup has sluggers like Bryce Harper, Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber, Alex Bregman and Bobby Witt Jr.
—Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Chubb will now join a vaunted defense that includes fellow edge rusher Greg Rousseau as well as defensive tackle Ed Oliver and cornerback Christian Benford.
—Miami Herald, 11 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for vaunted
Cite this Entry
“Vaunted.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vaunted. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
vaunted
adjective
