flout
Americanverb (used with object)
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flouts,
present (3rd person singular)
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flouted,
past participle, past
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flouting
present participle
verb (used without object)
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flouts,
present (3rd person singular)
-
flouted,
past participle, past
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flouting
present participle
noun
verb
Commonly Confused
See flaunt.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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floutsimple
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floutssimple
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have floutedperfect
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has floutedperfect
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am floutingprogressive
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are floutingprogressive
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is floutingprogressive
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have been floutingperfect progressive
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has been floutingperfect progressive
Past
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floutedsimple
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had floutedperfect
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was floutingprogressive
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were floutingprogressive
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had been floutingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of flout
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English flouten “to play the flute” ( see flute); compare Dutch fluiten “to play the flute, talk smoothly, soothe, blandish, impose upon, jeer”
Explanation
To flout is to scorn or show contempt for. "I flout the law and the concept of civilian safety by making a concerted effort to jaywalk every time I cross a street." Oddly enough, when flout came into existence in the 1550s, it had a much different sense to it than it does now; it's believed that it evolved from the Middle English flowten, “to play the flute." These days, the verb flout means "to scorn," as in to scorn a law, person, or social norm by defying it. As a noun, it is a contemptuous remark or insult. Wrote William Shakespeare, “Flout 'em, and scout 'em; and scout 'em and flout 'em; Thought is free.”
Vocabulary lists containing flout
Much Ado About Nothing
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30 GRE Words Beginning with "E" and "F"
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The Tempest
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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:
“We’re not trying to flout the orders of the court.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2026
She believes that if all the signs point to a partner-less destiny anyway, then she may as well flout the dictates of her mother and the marriage mart.
From Salon ● Jun. 25, 2026
Yet some Hong Kong entities play an instrumental role in efforts to flout restrictions, according to a new report by the China Strategic Risks Institute, a London-based think tank.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 28, 2026
She urged parents and children to help the government monitor compliance and report companies that flout the law.
From Barron's ● Mar. 31, 2026
The Southern Baptist Mission League gave us this hint, without coming right out and telling us to flout the law of the forty-four pounds, and from there we made our plan.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
It flouts the single most important rule of investing, which is to make sure you are diversified; at least 60% U.S. stocks and 40% international stocks would be better.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 4, 2025
The second, equally obvious problem with the state’s argument is that it flouts the rules for holding a statute unconstitutional.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2024
She transcends her humble roots, entrances the King and flouts 18th-century Versailles protocol.
From New York Times ● May 2, 2024
Not that “Maestro” flouts every convention of its Oscar-friendly subgenre.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2023
Keegan’s problem is that he flouts another principle of coherence in writing, the last one we will visit in this chapter.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
Part of his strategy was to install gas turbines on-site for power generation, a move that resulted in a lawsuit alleging the company flouted environmental rules.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Sentencing, Judge Huw Rees said these examinations should have been performed by qualified doctors and Eburne flouted the rules in a "brazen" manner.
From BBC ● Jun. 19, 2026
In recent years, however, the company has repeatedly flouted regulators and the legal process.
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026
North Korea is subject to multiple United Nations sanctions banning its nuclear weapons development and use of ballistic missile technology, restrictions it has repeatedly flouted.
From Barron's ● May 27, 2026
Was it routinely flouted by the great writers of the past?
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
"Social media companies are clearly flouting Indian laws by not reporting child sexual abuse content to Indian law enforcement agencies as mandated by our child protection laws," said Ribhu.
From BBC ● Sep. 8, 2026
If yes, the flouting of the law should be noted and the relief should be halted until the review is done.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 19, 2026
They said the focus likely will be on companies hyping AI businesses without having actual technology advantages, using overseas operations to skirt domestic regulations, or flouting Beijing’s orders against price wars.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
A woman suspected of stalking rock star Yungblud is being sought by police after she was accused of flouting a ban on attending his concerts.
From BBC ● May 18, 2026
Because the Nazis were the ones who made us have rations to begin with, and if I flout their system, then I am also flouting them.
From "Girl in the Blue Coat" by Monica Hesse
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.
