brat
Americannoun
noun
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of brat
First recorded in 1500–20; perhaps transferred use of Middle English brat “cloak of coarse cloth, rag,” Old English bratt “cloak,” from Celtic; compare Irish brat “mantle, cloak”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Ben described being called a "brat" online for distancing himself from his mother to protect his mental health.
From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026
"The Moment" satirises the consequences of her hit 2024 album "brat", as rapacious record company executives and a film director played by Alexander Skarsgard seek to jump on the juggernaut.
From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026
Freddie isn’t merely the petulant brat of the first Broadway production, but suffering from bipolar disorder.
From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025
Could she prevent that from happening and keep her brat summer going?
From Los Angeles Times • May 2, 2025
No tickets, no arrests, no luggage search: he was officially licensed to act like a brat.
From "Me Talk Pretty One Day" by David Sedaris
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
