vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯn-təd 

ˈvän-

: highly or widely praised or boasted about

… his own much vaunted ferocity …

—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 (something)," as in "the promotional flier vaunts the natural beauty of the area," and gave rise to the adjectival form vaunted. The history of vaunt and vaunted leads back to the Latin word vānus, meaning "vain" or "empty." The word vain itself is also a descendant of vānus.

Examples of vaunted in a Sentence

The team's vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game.

Recent Examples on the Web

The stamp of the vaunted independent hip-hop label—which has built a reputation among its community of fanatical diehards and like-minded rap geeks for its lyric-forward, anti-commercial approach—can bring new eyes to a rapper overnight. —Alphonse Pierre, Pitchfork, 30 Jan. 2026

Often, his philosophy of life, his vaunted pursuit of happiness, anchored his letter. —Literary Hub, 29 Jan. 2026

Led by head coach Tom Landry and their vaunted Doomsday Defense, the Cowboys hit their stride in the postseason to claim an NFC title and a spot in Super Bowl V. —R.j. Coyle, Dallas Morning News, 27 Jan. 2026

Cuffe grew up across all three cities, as his father worked for Lloyd’s of London, the world’s oldest and most vaunted insurance market. —Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 27 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of vaunt entry 1

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for vaunted

• daunted
• flaunted
• haunted
• taunted
• wanted
• undaunted
• unwanted

Kids Definition

vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯnt-əd 

ˈvänt-

: much praised or boasted about

the team's vaunted offense