Idiom idiom
not to brag
Meaning
Prepended to praise of oneself or one's own doings, as a form of modesty.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“Not to brag, but I finished the project early.”
“Not to brag, but my garden looks better than it ever has this summer.”
“Not to brag, but the committee selected my proposal over dozens of others for its unique approach to the problem.”
Origin
A phrase used to preface a boastful statement while ostensibly disclaiming the intent to boast. The expression functions as a conversational marker, signaling that the speaker is aware of the immodesty of the forthcoming information.
Anchors to
Last updated August 10, 2026