flaunt
v.v. to show something off in a way that is meant to impress or annoy other people. You use this when someone is being very proud of their new clothes or their success.
v. to display something ostentatiously in order to attract attention or provoke envy. Often carries a negative connotation of vanity or provocation.
He likes to flaunt his expensive watches in front of his friends.
The new CEO decided to flaunt his wealth by buying a private jet for the entire executive team.
While some view the display of luxury as a legitimate form of social capital, others argue that flaunting such wealth can alienate those who lack similar resources.
Of North Germanic origin. Perhaps related to Norwegian flanta (“to show off, wander about”), Icelandic flana (“to rush about, act rashly or heedlessly”) and then also to French flâner (“to wander around, loiter”). Alternatively, it could be related to Swedish flankt (“loosely, flutteringly”) (compare English flaunt-a-flaunt), from flanka (“waver, hang and wave about, ramble”), a nasalised variant of flakka (“to waver”), related to Middle English flacken (“to move to and fro, flutter, palpitate”). See flack.
By confusion with flout.