humblebrag
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
Usage
What does humblebrag mean? When you want to boast but pretend to be modest about it, or if you gripe about something most people would desire, you're humblebragging. The term, and practice, is especially common on social media. Example: Ugh, my phone is so old! I'm embarrassed to take it with me during my dates with supermodels and actors.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of humblebrag
First recorded in 2005–10; humble ( def. ) + brag ( def. )
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.
My last quote is a humblebrag for sure, from an email in 2012 where I hyped up the Wild Flag album to him, and he replied:
From Salon ● Sep. 8, 2026
It's one of the most common answers used in a job interview to spin the dreaded "What's your weakness?" into a humblebrag.
From BBC ● Nov. 19, 2025
He began to troll his father on social media, dinging him for each humblebrag.
From New York Times ● Mar. 28, 2023
I feel like this is going to come across as a humblebrag, so apologies in advance if I sound completely insufferable.
From Slate ● Mar. 11, 2022
He has used Twitter to extend a hand across the void, not just humblebrag about himself.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 9, 2020
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.