Word
bravado
Phoneticsbrava·do
US/bɹəˈvɑdoʊ/
UK/bɹævˈɑːdəʊ/
Definition
n. a show of courage or confidence that is actually a way to hide your fear. It is often used to describe someone who acts tough to impress others.
n. a show of boldness or confidence, typically intended to mask underlying fear or insecurity. Often associated with a performative or theatrical display of courage.
Examples
“He walked into the room with bravado to hide his nervousness.”
“Despite his bravado during the interview, he spent the entire night preparing for every possible question.”
“The protagonist's bravado serves as a narrative shield, allowing the audience to overlook the deep vulnerability and self-doubt that drive his every decision.”
Examples
simple
“He walked into the room with bravado to hide his nervousness.”
contextual
“Despite his bravado during the interview, he spent the entire night preparing for every possible question.”
complex
“The protagonist's bravado serves as a narrative shield, allowing the audience to overlook the deep vulnerability and self-doubt that drive his every decision.”
Real-World Examples
“Mercury’s bravado was replaced by a genuine confidence, and he was becoming focused.” “Famous for his lewd jokes and boastful tales of the women awaiting him back home, his bravado met its end one afternoon when he was working alone, collecting latex from a rubber tree.” Etymology
From French bravade (“bragging or boasting”), from Italian bravata, from verb bravare (“brag, boast”), from bravo. Compare bravura.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/bravado