gloat

American  

[gloht] / gloʊt /

verb (used without object)

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

   The opposing team gloated over our bad luck.

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noun

1. an act or feeling of gloating.

gloat British  

/ ɡləʊt /

verb

1. to dwell (on) with malevolent smugness or exultation

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noun

1. the act of gloating

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

There is a temptation to gloat, laugh at and mock them, but that may be a trap which further imperil American democracy.

From Salon

Hijacking a Black History Month event on Wednesday, he gloated that, along with the Olympics and the World Cup, “I get the 250th year.”

From Salon

Maybe there was an urge to gloat after the 31-20 triumph, but he resisted.

From BBC

I won’t join in the gloating of some critics at the hundreds who have lost their jobs.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bringing it home is Sudeikis’ manner as he shares Ted’s folksy anecdote: it contains not a whit of vanity or gloating at his adversary’s downfall.

From Salon

Related Words

• crow
• exult
• rejoice
• relish