flout

1 of 2

verb

ˈflau̇t 

flouted; flouting; flouts

transitive verb

: to treat with contemptuous disregard : scorn

flouting the rules

intransitive verb

: to indulge in scornful behavior

Ah, you may flout and turn up your faces

—Robert Browning

flouter noun

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

flout

2 of 2

noun

: jeer

Did you know?

If you flout a rule or societal norm, you ignore it without hiding what you're doing, or showing fear or shame; you flout it "out" in the open. The similar-sounding word flaunt is sometimes used in the same way, though that word's older and more common meaning is "to display ostentatiously," as in "people who flaunt their wealth." Critics have been objecting to the confusion of these two words since the early 1900s, but use of flaunt with the meaning "to treat with contemptuous disregard" is found in even polished, edited writing, and so that meaning is included in dictionaries as an established use of the word. Nonetheless, you may want to avoid it: there are still many who judge harshly those who (they feel) are flouting proper English usage.

Synonyms

Verb

• despise
• disregard
• scorn

Choose the Right Synonym for flout

scoff, jeer, gibe, fleer, sneer, flout mean to show one's contempt in derision or mockery.

scoff stresses insolence, disrespect, or incredulity as motivating the derision.

scoffed at their concerns

jeer suggests a coarser more undiscriminating derision.

the crowd jeered at the prisoners

gibe implies taunting either good-naturedly or in sarcastic derision.

hooted and gibed at the umpire

fleer suggests grinning or grimacing derisively.

the saucy jackanapes fleered at my credulity

sneer stresses insulting by contemptuous facial expression, phrasing, or tone of voice.

sneered at anything romantic

flout stresses contempt shown by refusal to heed.

flouted the conventions of polite society

Examples of flout in a Sentence

Verb

Despite repeated warnings, they have continued to flout the law.

an able-bodied motorist openly flouting the law and parking in a space reserved for the disabled

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Now, in elevating him to one of America’s premier diplomatic postings, Trump has managed to both insult our oldest ally and flout whatever remaining standards there are for holding a senior U.S. position. —Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 6 Dec. 2024

This may be the starkest example of the Biden administration’s appalling failure to hold Israel to account for flouting its humanitarian obligations in its war in Gaza. —Jeremy Konyndyk, Foreign Affairs, 2 Dec. 2024

Government transparency and access to public records — critical parts of Florida’s Sunshine laws — are increasingly being flouted or simply ignored by politicians who want to draw a veil of secrecy across the state. —Bobby Block, Orlando Sentinel, 16 Nov. 2024

Karen has touted prioritizing her parent’s legacy for multiple seasons, yet plainly flouted that to sort out a personal grievance. —Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 13 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

probably from Middle English flouten to play the flute, from floute flute

Noun

derivative of flout entry 1

First Known Use

Verb

1551, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

flout

verb

ˈflau̇t

: to ignore in a disrespectful way

flouting the rules

flouter noun