bravado

American  

[bruh-vah-doh] / brəˈvɑ doʊ /

noun

plural

bravadoes, bravados

1. a pretentious, swaggering display of courage.

   Synonyms:

   braggadocio, bombast, bluster, brag

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bravado British  

/ brəˈvɑːdəʊ /

noun

1. vaunted display of courage or self-confidence; swagger

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Related Words

See courage.

Other Word Forms

• overbravado noun

Etymology

Origin of bravado

First recorded in 1575–85; from Spanish bravada (now bravata, from Italian ), equivalent to brav(o) “brave” + -ada noun suffix; brave, -ade ¹

Example Sentences

Jeremy Allen White’s portrayal of the Boss, brimming with bravado onstage but nearing a breakdown at home, recently earned him a Golden Globe nomination.

From The Wall Street Journal

He rose heavily and was breathing hard as he attempted to mask the damage with bravado.

From BBC

The pathological self-regard required to be a YouTube star turned out to be reasonable preparation for the supercharged bravado of being a boxer.

From The Wall Street Journal

Homer’s bravado strokes of bold colors, with highlights in white, create a sparkling vision of two men in the great outdoors.

From The Wall Street Journal

His intellectual bravado has always attracted disciples and acolytes, notably his cultlike following at Cambridge, where he taught in the 1930s and ’40s.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• bluster