bravado

noun

bra·​va·​do brə-ˈvä-(ˌ)dō 

plural bravadoes or bravados

1

a

: blustering swaggering conduct

youthful bravado

b

: a pretense of bravery

2

: 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

Still, that near-career-ending episode levied a heavy tax on Griffin’s seemingly unshakable bravado. —Mikey O'Connell, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 Sep. 2024

Despite their bravado and machismo, these young men have dreams, intelligence, humor and side hustles. —Holly Jones, Variety, 4 Sep. 2024

Again and again, Kushner scrambles conventional ideas about gender, skewering male bravado while also subverting familiar ideas of femininity. —Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 3 Sep. 2024

Lyles’ bravado and braggadocios style has become part of his global persona; the Adidas athlete even advocated for his own signature sneaker at the podium on Sunday. —Eric Jackson, Sportico.com, 6 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle French bravade & Old Spanish bravata, from Old Italian bravata, from bravare to challenge, show off, from bravo

First Known Use

circa 1580, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

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Kids Definition

bravado

noun

bra·​va·​do brə-ˈväd-ō 

plural bravadoes or bravados

: a display of reckless or pretended bravery