BRAG Synonyms: 235 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

brag 1 of 3

verb

Definition of brag

as in to boast

to praise or express pride in one's own possessions, qualities, or accomplishments often to excess she bragged that she was richer than anyone else in the state

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brag

2 of 3

adjective

as in wonderful

of the very best kind he did a really brag job on restoring that classic car

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

brag

3 of 3

noun

ˈbrag

as in rhetoric

boastful speech or writing for all his brag about diving, he actually does very little

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in bragger

someone who boasts he's an irritating brag whose sense of selfhood is defined by what he owns

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Badgers have just eight sacks as a defense this season, but boast one of the best pass rushers in the Big Ten, senior Sebastian Cheeks.

— Ryan Kartje, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
By the time multicellular creatures arrived, our living planet boasted nearly five thousand minerals—an abundance unmatched in our solar system.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of boast

Adjective

An itinerary of hikes, wine tastings, and a sunset cruise offering incredible views of the Santa Barbara coastline is a wonderful way to end the day, while a cozy house with a garden will add to everyone’s enjoyment.

— Vogue, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
The improbable evening turned into a moving tribute to both Capra himself and his tale of the suicidal banker George Bailey, who comes to realize that his life has indeed been wonderful.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026

Definition of wonderful

Noun

Israel and Iran ramped up their rhetoric against one another, raising the prospect of a return to open conflict in the Middle East.

— Prashant Rao, semafor.com, 23 Oct. 2026
The Israeli-American Council forcefully condemned his rhetoric as dangerous, dehumanizing hate speech.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of rhetoric

Adjective

L3Harris claims its design can deliver greater range and speed than existing systems.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 24 Oct. 2026
Tarantino revealed the most personally meaningful piece of casting in a film filled with great performances — including supporting turns by multiple actors (Austin Butler, Mikey Madison, Sydney Sweeney) who have blown up in the seven years since.

— Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2026

Definition of great

Noun

There are no fist-pumping anthems, blister-raising leads or Homme’s cool-AF braggadocio at play here.

— Jason Pettigrew, SPIN, 21 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of braggadocio

Noun

Those concerns stretch across the realities of AI’s growth today and more speculative possibilities raised by some technologists and whistle-blowers.

— Danya Gainor, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
The movie is based on the true story of a whistle-blower who exposed Facebook’s secrets.

— The New Yorker, New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of blower

Cite this Entry

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“Brag.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brag. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brag

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noun

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