Boasting or bragging is speaking with excessive pride and self-satisfaction about one's achievements, possessions, or abilities.
Boasting occurs when someone feels a sense of satisfaction or when someone feels that whatever occurred proves their superiority and is recounting accomplishments so that others will feel admiration or envy.[1]
Individuals construct an image of themselves, a personal identity, and present themselves in a manner that is consistent with that image.[2] Theodore Millon theorized that in self-presentation, individuals seek to balance boasting against discrediting themselves with excessive self-promotion or being caught blatantly misrepresenting themselves. Studies show that people often have a limited ability to perceive how their efforts at self-presentation are actually impacting their acceptance and likeability by others.[3]
Although a brag can be as straightforward as a simple claim to riches or greatness, it often assumes a variety of more subtle forms[4] in order to shield the speaker from any opprobrium they might otherwise receive for transgressing the social norms of humility. The most popular of these forms is the humblebrag, a term coined by comedian Harris Wittels, whereby the brag is masked in a complaint.[5] For example, "Dating websites are so much work. Every time I log in, I have like a hundred new messages."
The Ancient Greek book The Characters of Theophrastus devotes a chapter to "The Boastful Man".[6]
Bēot is Old English for a ritualized boast, vow, threat or promise, which was usually made by an Anglo-Saxon warrior on the eve of or during battle. Bēots can be found in the epic poem Beowulf, including by the hero himself.
A gab (Old Occitan [ˈɡap] for "boast") is a troubadour boasting song.
Boasting and bragging are necessary components of maintaining "face" in some Arab societies.[7]