brag 1 of 3

Definition of bragnext

brag

2 of 3

adjective

brag

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word brag distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of brag are boast, crow, and vaunt. While all these words mean "to express pride in oneself or one's accomplishments," brag suggests crudity and artlessness in glorifying oneself.

bragging of their exploits

When is boast a more appropriate choice than brag?

Although the words boast and brag have much in common, 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 would crow be a good substitute for brag?

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

crowed after winning the championship

How is vaunt related to other words for brag?

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 brag
Verb
Hate on Rocky for being the kind of overconfident talker who never seems to know when to stop bragging. Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 19 Jan. 2026 Exhibits presented in court showed the Border Patrol agent, Charles Exum, apparently bragging about the shooting in a Signal group chat with other federal officers. Christopher Cann, USA Today, 14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
The benefits of a brag book Part of growing your salary comes with asking for a raise, which Tu believes most workers aren’t asking for often enough. Jane Thier, Fortune, 6 Dec. 2022 Now, after the latest iteration of Kellyoke on the Kelly Clarkson Show, the host can add performing the knockout collaboration live alongside the country icon herself to her list of brag-worthy accomplishments. Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 1 Dec. 2022
Noun
Share real results without the humble brags. Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025 That means consistently putting yourself first by updating your résumé, utilizing LinkedIn, getting recommendations, continuing professional development and keeping your brag book ready, Kennedy says. Alyshia Hull, USA Today, 17 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for brag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brag
Verb
  • The Flyers rebounded to win two of three on the road — including a 7-3 stunner at Colorado, who boast the best record in the NHL — but failed to carry that momentum with them home.
    CBS News, CBS News, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Advertisement MiniMax grew to prominence with low-cost AI video generation, though today boasts multimodal models that rank favorably across text, video, or audio benchmarks.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • Thank you all for a wonderful discussion.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Jan. 2026
  • The team Pep Guardiola built in the early 2010s, combining the wonderful passing of Xavi Hernandez and Andrés Iniesta with the twinkling magic of Lionel Messi, will forever be remembered.
    Zak Garner-Purkis, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • The image and the rhetoric are not only unfair but untrue, said Marlene.
    Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Hostile video appears on screen During a presentation, a video of a man shouting anti‑Israeli rhetoric appeared on the screen.
    Erin Jones, CBS News, 31 Jan. 2026
Adjective
  • There are plenty of great restaurants, but alongside them disappointments.
    Kate Krader, Bloomberg, 28 Jan. 2026
  • Another 2022 study from Rutgers University, focused on COVID-19 news, found that greater daily exposure to news about the virus was linked to higher same-day and next-day worry about the pandemic as well as feelings of hopelessness and general worry.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 28 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Timmy’s Marty promotional tour was loud and brash — viral Zoom videos, Soulja Boy routines in Brazil, standing atop the Sphere in Las Vegas — and had a lot of people wondering if his decision to adopt a Marty Mauser-style braggadocio would ultimately hurt his chances to win over Oscar voters.
    Vulture Editors, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
  • But the tonal change from braggadocio to lionization is notable, Reisman slipping at times into the giddiness of a die-hard fan meeting their idols.
    Julien Levy, Rolling Stone, 27 Dec. 2025
Noun
  • Of the many incarnations of the narcissist, there is the braggart, and there is also the neurotic.
    Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2025
  • Still, Kimmel never came off as a braggart.
    Ben Travers, IndieWire, 24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Although a recent visit to Palo Alto’s Taverna was lackluster except for the awesome outdoor décor and cute waiters, its sister ship in Portola Valley is absolutely lovely, and the food more in line with expectation.
    Laura Ness, Mercury News, 11 Jan. 2026
  • The first stop on this retrospective journey is the Cold War, a time marked by scientific breakthroughs that were both awesome and terrifying.
    Matthew S Williams, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • There was some chatter about Alshon’s over-poaching in the final, but sometimes a super-dominant male strategy works.
    Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
  • Still, his worst game of the year — a four-interception outing in a Week 10 loss to the Rams — again prompted chatter about his ability to perform in the biggest games.
    Peter Sblendorio, Hartford Courant, 26 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Brag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brag. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on brag

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!