bravado

noun

bra·va·do brə-ˈvä-(ˌ)dō

plural bravadoes or bravados

Synonyms of bravado next

: blustering swaggering conduct

youthful bravado

: a pretense of bravery

: the quality or state of being foolhardy

Did you know?

Displays of bravado may be show-offish, daring, reckless, and inconsistent with good sense—take, for example, the spectacular feats of stuntpeople—but when successful they are still likely to be met with shouts of "bravo!" Celebrities, political leaders, corporate giants, and schoolyard bullies, however, may show a different flavor of bravado: one that suggests an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. The word bravado originally comes from the Old Italian adjective bravo, meaning "wild" or "courageous," which English has also to thank for the more ubiquitous brave.

Examples of bravado in a Sentence

His stories are always told with bravado. I remember his youthful bravado.

Recent Examples on the Web

These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Modern Warfare would become known for its bombastic, contemporary stories with Michael Bay-sized set pieces and bravado, with larger than life characters defined by thick accents, bushy mustaches, and cool masks. —

Cade Onder, Rolling Stone, 25 Oct. 2024 Wood’s bravado was typical of Northern dissenters against the Union. —

Longreads, 3 Oct. 2024 All the bravado of acting like an F1 driver had swiftly faded away and I was left in awe of these speed demons. —

Trinity Francis, Forbes, 16 Oct. 2024 The plot, hinging on whether McNeal will face the consequences of his actions, is enlivened by Downey’s antihero bravado. —

Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for bravado