bravado
noun
Did you know?
Displays of bravado may be show-offish, daring, reckless, and inconsistent with good sense—take, for example, the spectacular feats of stuntpeople—but when successful they are still likely to be met with shouts of "bravo!" Celebrities, political leaders, corporate giants, and schoolyard bullies, however, may show a different flavor of bravado: one that suggests an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. The word bravado originally comes from the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning "wild" or "courageous," which English has also to thank for the more ubiquitous brave.
Examples of bravado in a Sentence
Sadie Stein, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2025
But there’s no trace of dashing bravado or heroics in Elordi’s performance, which is grounded, mature and subtle in its communication of unspoken feeling.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Feb. 2025
Edwards has long gushed publicly over his appreciation of Durant, a rarity from a young player whose bravado normally keeps him from giving his peers too much love.
—Jon Krawczynski, The Athletic, 6 Feb. 2025
His rigidity and bravado would be destructive to the agriculture, construction, and industrial sectors which rely on hard-working, productive immigrants.
—Chloe Berger, Fortune, 27 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for bravado
Articles Related to bravado
Cite this Entry
“Bravado.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bravado. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
bravado
noun
Share