Boastful: meaning, definitions and examples

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boastful

 

[ ˈbəʊstfʊl ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

in describing a person's behavior

Showing excessive pride and self-satisfaction in one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.

Synonyms

arrogant, bragging, conceited, egotistical.

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Word Description / Examples
boastful

Used to describe someone who talks with excessive pride about their achievements, possessions, or abilities.

  • He is so boastful about his new car.
  • She made a boastful comment about winning the competition.
bragging

Informal term for talking with too much pride about one's achievements or possessions, often seen as annoying or inappropriate.

  • Stop bragging about your grades, it's annoying.
  • He couldn't stop bragging about his new job.
arrogant

Used to describe someone who has an exaggerated sense of their own importance or abilities, often leading to disdain for others. This term carries more of a negative connotation.

  • His arrogant remarks made him very unpopular.
  • She is too arrogant to admit that she made a mistake.
conceited

Describes someone who has an overly high opinion of themselves and their abilities, often without cause. This term also has a negative connotation.

  • She is so conceited, always talking about how perfect she is.
  • His conceited attitude makes it hard for others to work with him.
egotistical

Applied to someone who is excessively centered on themselves and their own importance, often disregarding others. This word has a negative connotation.

  • His egotistical behavior is driving everyone away.
  • An egotistical person might not consider other people's feelings.

Examples of usage

  • He couldn't help but be boastful about his promotion at work.
  • She was always boastful about her expensive designer clothes.
  • Don't be so boastful about your success, be humble instead.
Context #2 | Adjective

in describing a speech or writing

Characterized by boasting or bragging.

Synonyms

pompous, self-aggrandizing, vainglorious.

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Word Description / Examples
boastful

This word is used to describe someone who talks with excessive pride about their achievements or abilities. It often has a slightly negative connotation, as it implies exaggerated self-praise.

  • He was being boastful about his promotion at every chance he got.
  • Her boastful remarks about her accomplishments annoyed everyone at the party.
self-aggrandizing

This term is used for someone who tries to increase their own power, importance, or reputation, often at the expense of others. It has a clearly negative connotation.

  • His self-aggrandizing tactics alienated his colleagues.
  • The politician’s self-aggrandizing behavior was obvious to everyone in the room.
pompous

This word characterizes someone behaving in a high-minded or overly formal manner, trying to impress others with their importance. It usually carries a negative connotation.

  • The professor's pompous tone turned off many students.
  • Her pompous speech at the award ceremony made people roll their eyes.
vainglorious

This word describes someone with excessive pride in themselves and their achievements, often accompanied by an inflated sense of self-importance. It is notably negative in tone.

  • The actor's vainglorious acceptance speech was widely criticized.
  • Her vainglorious attitude made her unpopular among her peers.

Examples of usage

  • His boastful speech turned off many of the audience members.
  • The article was filled with boastful claims about the company's success.
Context #3 | Noun

in describing a person

A person who brags or boasts excessively.

Synonyms

boaster, braggart, bragger, egotist.

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Word Description / Examples
boastful

This word is often used to describe someone who talks about their achievements or abilities with a lot of pride and can have a negative connotation.

  • He was so boastful about his promotion that it annoyed everyone at the party
braggart

This word is used to describe someone who brags a lot, often in an annoying or exaggerated way. It is typically used in a negative context.

  • Everyone in the team disliked the new hire because he was such a braggart
boaster

A person who frequently talks about their own achievements in a way that seems proud or arrogant. It usually has a negative connotation.

  • No one wanted to work with him because he was known to be a boaster
bragger

Similar to braggart, it's used for someone who frequently brags or boasts. It also carries a negative connotation.

  • Stop being a bragger and start focusing on your work
egotist

This word describes a person who is excessively conceited or absorbed in themselves. It can be used in both mildly negative and strongly negative contexts.

  • She is such an egotist, always thinking she is better than everyone else

Examples of usage

  • He was known around the office as a boastful who couldn't stop talking about himself.
  • Don't be a boastful, nobody likes someone who constantly talks about their achievements.

Translations

Translations of the word "boastful" in other languages:

🇵🇹 presunçoso

🇮🇳 शेखी बघारनेवाला

🇩🇪 prahlerisch

🇮🇩 sombong

🇺🇦 хвалькуватий

🇵🇱 chełpliwy

🇯🇵 自慢げな

🇫🇷 vantard

🇪🇸 presumido

🇹🇷 övüngen

🇰🇷 자랑스러운

🇸🇦 متفاخر

🇨🇿 chvástavý

🇸🇰 chvastavý

🇨🇳 自夸的

🇸🇮 bahav

🇮🇸 groðugur

🇰🇿 мақтаншақ

🇬🇪 თავმოწონებული

🇦🇿 lovğalanan

🇲🇽 presumido

Etymology

The word 'boastful' originated from the Middle English word 'bosten', which means 'to brag'. Over time, the word evolved to 'boastful' in the 16th century. The concept of boasting or excessive pride has been present in human behavior for centuries, with references found in various ancient texts and literature.

See also: boast, boaster, boastfully, boastfulness, boasting.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,082, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.