vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯn-təd 

ˈvän-

: highly or widely praised or boasted about

his own much vaunted ferocity

—Calvin Tomkins

Did you know?

Vaunted Has Latin Roots

The verb vaunt has been used since the 15th century with the meaning "to make a vain display of one's own worth or attainments"—in other words, "to brag or boast." Over time, vaunt developed the meaning "to boast of (something)," as in "the promotional flier vaunts the natural beauty of the area," and gave rise to the adjectival form vaunted. The history of vaunt and vaunted leads back to the Latin word vānus, meaning "vain" or "empty." The word vain itself is also a descendant of vānus.

Examples of vaunted in a Sentence

The team's vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game.

Recent Examples on the Web

Spotify, with its much vaunted algorithms, had usurped these old modes of finding new music and promised something greater: a centralized hub where the entirety of one’s discovery and listening could occur. —Brady Brickner-Wood, The New Yorker, 10 Dec. 2024

On the opposite end of the pricing spectrum, the vaunted Diamond Package includes luxury accommodations for two at the resort along with access to all VIP events for a cool $15,000. —Brad Japhe, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024

Warren began filming in 2022, the year Alexey was banned from participating in the sport’s vaunted competition called Vertical Blue because of Russia’s war on Ukraine. —Lisa Kennedy, Variety, 8 Dec. 2024

The San Francisco 49ers’ vaunted running game suddenly hinges on three tailbacks who have never made an NFL start. —Matt Barrows, The Athletic, 5 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

from past participle of vaunt entry 1

First Known Use

1567, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

vaunted

adjective

vaunt·​ed ˈvȯnt-əd 

ˈvänt-

: much praised or boasted about

the team's vaunted offense