Synonyms

gloat

American

[gloht] / gloʊt /

verb (used without object)

to look at or think about with great or excessive, often smug or malicious, satisfaction.

The opposing team gloated over our bad luck.

noun

an act or feeling of gloating.

gloat British

/ ɡləʊt /

verb

to dwell (on) with malevolent smugness or exultation

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

the act of gloating

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See glare ¹.

Other Word Forms

gloater noun
gloatingly adverb

Etymology

Origin of gloat

1565–75; perhaps akin to Old Norse glotta “to smile scornfully”; compare German glotzen “to stare”

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.

They spent the first quarter hour of their walk gloating.

From Literature

“Poor Bright Females,” Cassiopeia gloated to her brothers.

From Literature

He didn’t gloat when coaches dutifully dropped to the court to pay the push-up price.

From Los Angeles Times

In some cases, those who took to social media to gloat over his death or post comments that caused offence have been fired or placed on leave by employers.

From BBC

The BBC learned earlier this week that the hackers sent an abuse-filled email directly to M&S's boss on 23 April, gloating about what they had done and demanding payment.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023