“Bragging” is a verb that means to talk with excessive pride about one's achievements, abilities, or possessions in a way that can seem boastful or annoying to others. Here are some synonyms and an analysis of them:
1. Boasting
- “Boasting” is very similar to “bragging” and is often used interchangeably. It means to speak with great pride and self - satisfaction about oneself or one's accomplishments. For example, “He was always boasting about how many trophies he had won in the competition.” Just like bragging, it implies a self - centered display of one's achievements, and it usually gives the impression that the person is trying to make themselves look better than others or gain admiration in an overbearing way.
2. Showboating
- “Showboating” has the idea of showing off in a flashy or ostentatious manner, often to attract attention. It is usually associated with doing something in a flamboyant way to make others notice and admire you. For example, “The basketball player was showboating by doing unnecessary fancy dribbles during the game instead of focusing on scoring.” While bragging is more about talking proudly, showboating is more about acting in a way that screams for attention and admiration, but both are aimed at highlighting one's abilities or achievements in an exaggerated manner.
3. Swaggering
- “Swaggering” is more about having an overly confident and sometimes arrogant walk or demeanor that suggests you think highly of yourself. It can also extend to the way a person behaves and talks, showing off their supposed superiority. For example, “He came into the room swaggering, as if he were the most important person there.” Although it's not strictly about speaking like bragging is, it conveys a similar sense of excessive self - assurance and a desire to make others aware of one's perceived greatness.
4. Vaunting
- “Vaunting” means to make a proud or boastful claim. It's a bit more formal and perhaps a little less common in everyday speech compared to bragging or boasting. For example, “The politician was vaunting his achievements during the campaign speech, trying to win over the voters.” It has the same essence as bragging in that it involves highlighting one's own merits in a way that can come across as overly proud.
5. Crowding
- “Crowing” originally comes from the sound a rooster makes when it's showing off or celebrating victory. When used to describe a person, it means to boast or brag loudly and triumphantly about something. For example, “After winning the game, he was crowing about how he had scored the winning goal all night long.” It gives a sense of a noisy and rather obnoxious display of pride, just like bragging does.