brag 1 of 3

Definition of bragnext

brag

2 of 3

adjective

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
Smigel and Wendt bragged about how great Chicago is compared to Kansas City and compared crime rates. — Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 9 Oct. 2026 The director had rather surprisingly bragged that the film features around 50 jump scares, which works out to around one every two minutes. — James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026
Adjective
Do not blunder into a situation of getting caught with a brag afoot. — Lance Eliot, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024 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
Noun
Humble brag; That turned out to be a stroke of genius on my part. — Marc Silver, NPR, 19 Apr. 2026 If the turquoise waters of the Caribbean are calling your name, consider Bonaire as your spring break brag. — Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for brag
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brag
Verb
  • The Longhorns boast a 1-5 overall (1-2 District 8-5A Division I) ahead of a district matchup against Mansfield Legacy on Thursday.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 15 Oct. 2026
  • In Texas, Republicans seized on an old interview in which Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico boasted that his campaign, then for the Texas statehouse, was going vegan.
    — Nicholas Riccardi, Fortune, 15 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The pom-pom sandals at Givenchy were wonderful, fun, unexpected and exactly what fashion lovers are looking for from a spring runway show.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Expect to see rare bottles pulled from the shelves and all manner of weird and wonderful concoctions offered up from the menu and from their encyclopedic knowledge of drinks.
    — Condé Nast, cntraveler.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • And a Gallup poll last year revealed a majority of Americans feel that both parties have gone too far in their use of inflammatory rhetoric to criticize their opponents.
    — Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The rhetoric from Rogers and other Republicans about El-Sayed has added to those frustrations.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Clayton is cool and kind and a big braggart.
    — Wendy Paris, Los Angeles Times, 12 June 2026
  • Not to become a braggart, but to amplify my or our team’s success on projects or risk going unnoticed.
    — Lintao "LT" Lu, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • But this is in fact the opportunity hiding inside the greatest technological acceleration of our lifetimes.
    — Matt Alt, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2026
  • This scandal comes as an appalling blow to the BND, and Germany as a whole, at a time of great danger.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • But smokejumpers generally eschew the spotlight—even a hint of braggadocio amid their ranks is looked down upon—and so their work feels especially shrouded.
    — M. R. O’Connor, New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Against this stripped down but still bumping backdrop, Christmas and Crack’s loose, witty braggadocio shines.
    — Brendan Hay, SPIN, 24 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The films about them have in turn evolved from coming-of-age stories and stylish bio-pics into whistle-blower dramas and dark thrillers.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The front handwash sink lacked paper towels or a hand blower.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • With all of the breaks in action and the partnerships, live betting provides you with awesome opportunities to place in-game wagers.
    — OutKick, FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Life is a combination of spending time with the difficult ones, the indifferent ones and the awesome ones among them.
    — Vinesh Sukumaran, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Brag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brag. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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