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boast

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word boast distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of boast are brag, crow, and vaunt. While all these words mean "to express pride in oneself or one's accomplishments," boast often suggests ostentation and exaggeration, but it may imply a claiming with proper and justifiable pride.

boasts of every trivial success
the town boasts one of the best museums in the area

When might brag be a better fit than boast?

The words brag and boast can be used in similar contexts, but brag suggests crudity and artlessness in glorifying oneself.

bragging of their exploits

When is crow a more appropriate choice than boast?

In some situations, the words crow and boast are roughly equivalent. However, crow usually implies exultant boasting or bragging.

crowed after winning the championship

How is vaunt related to other words for boast?

Vaunt usually connotes more pomp and bombast than boast and less crudity or naïveté than brag.

vaunted his country's military might

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of boast
Verb
Founded in 2012, Miyhar boasts nearly 60 stores in Saudi Arabia, with plans to reach 100 locations within the next five years. Miles Socha, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025 The movie boasts a fantastic voice cast, including Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Steve Buscemi, Molly Shannon and Kevin James, who bring the quirky and hilarious characters to life. Keith Langston, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
Nineteen candidates are vying for the chair, though few boast name recognition beyond Tennessee’s political circles. Vivian Jones, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025 More than one of these names won’t make starts this October, which goes to show the depth the Dodgers boast. The Athletic Mlb Staff, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for boast
Recent Examples of Synonyms for boast
Verb
  • Instead, the gooners bragged about them.
    Daniel Kolitz, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
  • Anyone who brags excessively about his or her offspring on social media will immediately be incarcerated for at least a week.
    Marla Jo Fisher, Oc Register, 22 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Comparable in size to the Arc de Triomphe, the Porte Monumentale also contained surface ornamentation based on Haeckel’s exacting lifelong documentation of organisms to be found in the world’s oceans.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Along with the remains, deputies found a backpack with clothes inside, a water bottle and a diary that didn’t contain any writing that helped in identifying the woman, according to a news release by the DNA Doe Project.
    Paloma Chavez, Sacbee.com, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The treasure was found in the ancient city of Hippos near the Sea of Galilee in July.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Having analyzed the treasure, the study authors now postulate that the diversity that would come to define the Scythian animal style might reflect different social groups utilizing and adapting the theme for funerary rituals.
    Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Slot’s side fell behind to Rasmus Kristensen’s strike but held their nerve and took complete control with 14 shots on target compared to just one.
    James Pearce, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Many of the marble mausoleums on this 14-acre spot are held by Argentina’s elite, some famous, others infamous—think past presidents, Nobel Prize winners, and military commanders.
    Sophie Friedman, AFAR Media, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Its influence ricocheted through decades of homages, from Madonna to Ryan Gosling, proof that a perfect jewel-box tableau never dulls.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The actor, who portrayed dapper casino thief Danny Ocean in Ocean's Eleven and its sequels, reflected on the audacious burglary in which a group of thieves stole more than $100 million worth of historic jewels from Paris' foremost museum on Sunday.
    Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 25 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Farm-to-table meals that include unlimited beer, wine, or spirits are a highlight of several holiday packages, including a New Year’s Eve package with Big Sky fireworks.
    Suzanne Wright, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025
  • The highlight is that Porsche routed the intakes up and out the side windows of the car, just behind your ear.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 28 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Johnson’s early performance led to him earning second-team midseason Associated Press All-America honors.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2025
  • And even though those consequences are, in the grand scheme of things, nothing as big as what their conduct might demand, the fact that Andrew had to give up his royal titles and honors is more than a lot of people expected.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 23 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In 2025, Ohtani is likely to earn another MVP award, adding to his ever-expanding trophy cabinet.
    Nelson Espinal, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • The piece signals transformation, but the spontaneous laugh turns luxury into connection; by the red-gown reveal, the necklace reads less like a trophy and more like a charm that’s worked.
    Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Boast.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/boast. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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