Word
brag
US/ˈbɹæɡ/
UK/bɹˈæɡ/
Definitions
01to boast
B1 · Intermediate
v. to talk with too much pride about what you have done or what you own.
v. to speak with excessive pride or self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities. Often used with the preposition 'about'.
“He always brags about how much money he earns at his new job.”
“It is considered poor etiquette to brag about your professional successes in front of colleagues who are currently facing redundancy.”
Usage
The verb is usually intransitive and followed by 'about' or 'of'.
Pitfall
She bragged for her high grades.
She bragged about her high grades.
Use the preposition 'about' or 'of' after brag, not 'for'.
Antonyms
02a boastful statement
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. a statement where someone talks too proudly about themselves.
n. an instance of boastful talk or a specific claim made with excessive pride.
“His claim that he could run a marathon in three hours turned out to be a hollow brag.”
“The politician's speech was dismissed by critics as a series of empty brags designed to distract from the failing economy.”
Usage
Often used in the phrase 'empty brag' to describe a claim that is not true.
Synonyms
03excellent
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Dialect
adj. very good or excellent.
adj. denoting something of superior quality or excellence.
“That was a brag performance by the lead singer tonight.”
“The local team put on a brag display of skill, surprising the visiting champions with their tactical discipline.”
Teaching tip
This adjective sense is very rare in modern standard English; learners will mostly encounter it in older literature or specific regional dialects.
Idioms
01. not to brag
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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