flaunt
Americanverb (used without object)
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to parade or display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly.
-
to wave conspicuously in the air.
verb (used with object)
noun
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the act of flaunting.
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Obsolete. something flaunted.
verb
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to display (possessions, oneself, etc) ostentatiously; show off
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to wave or cause to wave freely; flutter
noun
Usage
Flaunt is sometimes wrongly used where flout is meant: they must be prevented from flouting (not flaunting ) the law
Commonly Confused
The use of flaunt to mean “to ignore or treat with disdain” ( He flaunts community standards with his behavior ) is strongly objected to by many usage guides, which insist that only flout can properly express this meaning. From its earliest appearance in English in the 16th century, flaunt has had the meanings “to display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly” in public and “to parade or display ostentatiously.” These senses approach those of flout, which dates from about the same period: “to treat with disdain, scorn, or contempt; scoff at; mock.” A sentence like Once secure in his new social position, he was able to flaunt his lower-class origins can thus be ambiguous in current English. Considering the similarity in pronunciation of the two words, it is not surprising that flaunt has assumed the meanings of flout and that this use has appeared in the speech and edited writing of even well-educated, literate persons. Nevertheless, many regard the senses of flaunt and flout as entirely unrelated and concerned speakers and writers still continue to keep them separate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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flauntsimple
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flauntssimple
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have flauntedperfect
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has flauntedperfect
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am flauntingprogressive
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are flauntingprogressive
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is flauntingprogressive
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have been flauntingperfect progressive
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has been flauntingperfect progressive
Past
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flauntedsimple
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had flauntedperfect
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was flauntingprogressive
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were flauntingprogressive
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had been flauntingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flaunt
First recorded in 1560–70; of obscure origin; compare Norwegian dialect flanta “to show off”
Explanation
Flaunt is "to display proudly or show off," like when you flaunt your new Italian leather jacket by wearing it to the beach and pretending you're cold to make sure everyone sees it. Although we love it when a peacock flaunts his colorful feathers, when a person does the same thing we feel bad. Flaunt is like bragging, which can bum people out because they don't have whatever you're showing off, like that cool jacket. When rich people flaunt their wealth by speeding past you in their limo, they may as well splash a mud puddle on your white clothes. Leave the flaunting for peacocks and stars in bad reality TV shows.
Vocabulary lists containing flaunt
The Crossover
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "F"
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A Lesson Before Dying
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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.
See Examples For:
About the story, he says, “Go ahead. If you got it, flaunt it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 12, 2026
She married Steve in 1990, and they raised three boys in Bellevue, Wash. Son Pete Ballmer, a stand-up comedian, told the Cash Cuties podcast in 2024 that the family didn’t flaunt their wealth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
"Lots of other jewellery, lots of watches that they all seemed so happy to flaunt," Jane said.
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2026
When she graduated last year, she dreamed of returning to Italy to flaunt her work.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 6, 2026
She stalks away, muttering about twits who flaunt regulation.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
Current dictator Miguel Díaz-Canel, whose wife flaunts luxury handbags, is booed in public.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
That pricey pad is also where the “Gossip Girl” alum flaunts her fashion-forward wardrobe on Instagram, and from those pretty pics, we’ve gotten a peek at the rustic-cool spaces.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
Similar to the Muscat flavor, the Pink Lemonade gummies include a fruit-filled, jelly center that flaunts Sicilian lemon and pink grapefruit flavors.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2025
By contrast, Soho House proudly flaunts Bollywood star Ali Fazal, a member, on its in-house magazine cover.
From BBC ● Jul. 19, 2025
I want to go to Duke, he flaunts Carolina Blue.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
Kumi had long flaunted luxury items online to his more than 100,000 Instagram followers.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
At times, it reminded me of John Carpenter’s little-seen, Lauren Hutton-starring 1978 film, “Someone’s Watching Me!,” an equally economical yet surprisingly stylish little TV movie that flaunted the still-budding horror legend’s early talents.
From Salon ● Apr. 5, 2026
Philadelphia’s loss to the Niners capped off a season when the Eagles lacked the offensive mojo they flaunted throughout last year’s Super Bowl run.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026
It’s a city that has long acknowledged, even flaunted, America’s discomfort with it.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 18, 2025
Before her walk she would have flaunted her baldness beneath a golden crown.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
It used to be all about flaunting your wealth, Bradley said, but now it's all about showcasing your taste and vision.
From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026
An overreliance on precious metals in the flaunting of one’s wealth can give the impression of protesting too much.
From Slate ● Jun. 11, 2026
Mr. Stephens writes with vigor and verve, and he refrains from flaunting the expertise he clearly possesses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 11, 2026
For major hardware makers, the challenge now is proving the utility of generative AI in everyday applications rather than simply flaunting cutting-edge tech.
From Barron's ● Jan. 7, 2026
She wondered whether she had made a terrible mistake by confiding in her cousin—Cecilia would hardly be pleased if excitable Lola started flaunting her knowledge of Robbie’s note.
From "Atonement" by Ian McEwan
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.
