flaunt

verb

ˈflȯnt

ˈflänt

flaunted; flaunting; flaunts

Synonyms of flaunt next

intransitive verb

: to display or obtrude oneself to public notice

a great flaunting crowd—

Charles Dickens

: to wave or flutter showily

the flag flaunts in the breeze

transitive verb

: to display ostentatiously or impudently : parade

flaunting his superiority

a chance to flaunt clothes, bodies, and sexuality—

New Yorker

: to treat contemptuously

flaunted the rules—

Louis Untermeyer

flaunt noun

flauntingly

ˈflȯn-tiŋ-lē

ˈflän-

adverb

flaunty

ˈflȯn--tē

ˈflän-

adjective

Flaunt vs. Flout: Usage Guide

Although the "treat contemptuously" sense of flaunt undoubtedly arose from confusion with flout, the contexts in which it appears cannot be called substandard.

meting out punishment to the occasional mavericks who operate rigged games, tolerate rowdyism, or otherwise flaunt the law —

Oscar Lewis

observed with horror the flaunting of their authority in the suburbs, where men … put up buildings that had no place at all in a Christian commonwealth —

Marchette Chute

in our profession … very rarely do we publicly chastise a colleague who has flaunted our most basic principles —

R. T. Blackburn, AAUP Bull.

If you use it, however, you should be aware that many people will consider it a mistake. Use of flout in the sense of "flaunt, parade" is found occasionally.

"The proper pronunciation," the blonde said, flouting her refined upbringing, "is pree feeks" —

Mike Royko

Choose the Right Synonym for flaunt

show, exhibit, display, expose, parade, flaunt mean to present so as to invite notice or attention.

show implies no more than enabling another to see or examine.

showed her snapshots to the whole group

exhibit stresses putting forward prominently or openly.

exhibit paintings at a gallery

display emphasizes putting in a position where others may see to advantage.

display sale items

expose suggests bringing forth from concealment and displaying.

sought to expose the hypocrisy of the town fathers

parade implies an ostentatious or arrogant displaying.

parading their piety for all to see

flaunt suggests a shameless, boastful, often offensive parading.

nouveaux riches flaunting their wealth

Examples of flaunt in a Sentence

She liked to flaunt her wealth by wearing furs and jewelry. They openly flaunted the rules.

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

The footage also shows Steele appearing to flaunt her status as a government official. —

Andrea Margolis, Fox News, 27 Nov. 2024 Continuing the theme, this weekend Grainge flaunted her latest pair of bold heels, embracing a style that should also suit any upcoming holiday party needs. —

Christian Allaire, Vogue, 24 Nov. 2024 Across Dhaka, influential citizens who once flaunted their connections to the Awami League are now minimizing any ties, fearful they could be weaponized by business rivals. —

Charlie Campbell, TIME, 21 Nov. 2024 And what did the reunion tour with Liz Cheney and her evil father’s spectral presence accomplish, other than alienating everyone but a sliver of self-congratulatory consultants and pundits eager to flaunt their bipartisan commitments in the most obscene way possible? —

Seyward Darby, Longreads, 7 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for flaunt