boastful

Boastful is an adjective that describes a person who tends to speak with excessive pride about their abilities, achievements, or possessions. A boastful individual frequently makes self-promoting statements and seeks to draw attention to successes or status. The term can describe both habitual behavior and a single remark that comes across as self-aggrandizing. In writing or speech, a boastful tone can be used critically or humorously, depending on context.

Related terms include boast, brag, vaunt, and boastfulness. A person who engages in such behavior is often called a boaster or braggart; "boastful" characterizes the behavior or the person, while "boast" is the verb or noun referring to the act. "Boastfulness" is the corresponding noun form.

Boastful claims or comments are sometimes seen as socially inappropriate if they appear insincere or excessive. Some contexts may employ a boastful voice for satire or irony, while others view it as a negative trait reflecting vanity or narcissism. In psychology and social psychology, boasting may be analyzed as a strategy for impression management or dominance signaling, though excessive boastfulness can undermine credibility.

Etymology: The word is formed from the verb boast with the suffix -ful, indicating "full of boasting." The sense has appeared in English since the Middle English period and remains common in modern usage.