vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯn-təd 

ˈvän-

: highly or widely praised or boasted about

his own much vaunted ferocity

—Calvin Tomkins

Did you know?

Vaunted Has Latin Roots

The verb vaunt has been used since the 15th century with the meaning "to make a vain display of one's own worth or attainments"—in other words, "to brag or boast." Over time, vaunt developed the meaning "to boast of (something)," as in "the promotional flier vaunts the natural beauty of the area," and gave rise to the adjectival form vaunted. The history of vaunt and vaunted leads back to the Latin word vānus, meaning "vain" or "empty." The word vain itself is also a descendant of vānus.

Examples of vaunted in a Sentence

The team's vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game.

Recent Examples on the Web

The landmark trial, which began with jury selection on Oct. 8, has been a fascinating dive into the inner workings of state politics as well as Madigan’s vaunted political machine. —Chicago Tribune, 17 Jan. 2025

The aim is to prevent AI from emitting foul remarks, stop AI from plainly showcasing how to make bombs and other weapons, and even avert the vaunted existential risk that AI might one day opt to enslave or wipe out humankind. —Lance Eliot, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025

The 2025 Sundance jury members spans 16 filmmakers, with the vaunted U.S. Dramatic Competition jury being especially star-studded. —Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 14 Jan. 2025

Page, a fixture on the vaunted Vikings defensive line, fired into Mack claiming the Rams left guard had flinched before the snap. —Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of vaunt entry 1

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯnt-əd 

ˈvänt-

: much praised or boasted about

the team's vaunted offense