flaunt
Americanverb (used without object)
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flaunts,
present (3rd person singular)
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flaunted,
past participle, past
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flaunting
present participle
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to parade or display oneself conspicuously, defiantly, or boldly.
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to wave conspicuously in the air.
verb (used with object)
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flaunts,
present (3rd person singular)
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flaunted,
past participle, past
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flaunting
present participle
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:
Just last week, the actress shared a mirror selfie in which she could be seen showing off her growing baby bump, pulling up her black shirt to flaunt her stomach, while grimacing at the camera.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 11, 2026
The Queens flaunt one of the best right sides of the infield in the league with Lansdell at third and Curacan 19-year-old shortstop Thaima Maximiliana.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Some purchases, like a mansion, have never lost their power to flaunt wealth.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 15, 2026
"Lots of other jewellery, lots of watches that they all seemed so happy to flaunt," Jane said.
From BBC ● Feb. 23, 2026
“I don’t think Raven actually hid this book. She’s probably one of those know-it-alls who likes to flaunt every fact in her head. Yippee for you, you know a lot about Edgar Allan Poe.”
From "Book Scavenger" by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
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
Sandler called the movie “Happy Gilmore” and found a wide audience that loved it for its irreverence about a game that flaunts hushed reverence.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2025
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
Brother Quang says, One cannot justify war unless each side flaunts its own blind conviction.
From "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai
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
Steinfeld flaunted her pregnancy during the awards circuit earlier this year, cradling her baby bump at the red carpet for the Golden Globe Awards.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 2, 2026
Young people around the world are snatching Adidas Tang-style jackets off the shelves, bingeing on Chinese micro-dramas and experimenting with powdery make-up looks flaunted by Chinese girls and women on Douyin, China's version of TikTok.
From BBC ● Feb. 14, 2026
Part hobo, part insult comic, part performance artist, Diogenes flaunted his disregard for convention in ways that scandalized the bourgeoisie of Athens and, later, Corinth, after his banishment from Sinope became permanent.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 17, 2025
The enthusiasm I felt in second-grade classes I flaunted before both my parents.
From "Hunger of Memory" by Richard Rodriguez
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
After months of flaunting the ring on social media posts, Lipa confirmed the engagement to British Vogue in June 2025.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 1, 2026
"Welcome to the Caribbean, Nimitz Carrier Strike Group!" the Southern Command posted on X, alongside a video flaunting the ship's capabilities.
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
She’s rubbing our noses in it, letting us know exactly who she is, making us watch her as she silently reads, flaunting her prerogative.
From "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
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.
