boasting

boasting — verb

  • boastingpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • boastings3rd person singular
  • boastinging-ing form
  • boastingedpast simple

1. to talk with too much pride about your own achievements, possessions, or abiliti

1.動詞不及物B1
釋義

to talk with too much pride about your own achievements, possessions, or abilities — often in a way that makes other people feel annoyed or bored

例句

After winning the school chess tournament, Wei could not stop boasting about his victory to anyone who would listen.

boast + about + noun phrase for topic of pride

Lin never boasts about her test scores, even though she always finishes at the top of the class.

同義詞
  • brag

    more informal and direct than boast, often suggests exaggeration

  • crow

    informal, suggests gloating over a success

  • show off

    phrasal verb, focuses on drawing attention rather than talking about achievements

反義詞
  • downplay

    to make something seem less important than it is

  • conceal

    to keep your achievements hidden from others

文法句型

boast + about + noun/gerund

boast + of + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Common with the preposition about (boast about something) or of (boast of something, slightly more formal). Frequently used in negative contexts or with adverbs like always/constantly to indicate a habit that annoys others.

常見錯誤

He boasted that he can run faster than anyone.
He boasted that he could run faster than anyone.
💡When reporting boasting in the past, the verb after that-clause usually backshifts to past tense.
She boasted to have climbed Everest.
She boasted about climbing Everest.' or 'She boasted that she had climbed Everest.
💡Boast takes about + gerund or a that-clause, not a to-infinitive.

2. to have or contain an impressive feature, quality, or thing that people can be p

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to have or contain an impressive feature, quality, or thing that people can be proud of — used for places, buildings, organizations, or products rather than people

例句

The Grand Sultan Hotel boasts a rooftop infinity pool with stunning views of the old city.

place + boast + impressive feature

This small coastal town boasts three national parks within an hour's drive.

同義詞
  • feature

    neutral, common in advertising; lacks the pride element of boast

  • possess

    formal and neutral; states ownership without pride

  • offer

    more customer-oriented; common for services and amenities

反義詞
  • lack

    to be without a feature

  • miss

    to not have something that would be expected

文法句型

place/organization + boast + noun phrase (impressive feature)

用法筆記

This sense is neutral to positive, unlike sense 1 which carries a negative tone. The subject is always a place, organization, or product — never a person. The object is a desirable feature or asset.

常見錯誤

My uncle boasts a big car.
My uncle boasts about his big car.
💡Using sense 2 for a person is incorrect; for people, use sense 1 with about.
The hotel boasts of a swimming pool.
The hotel boasts a swimming pool.
💡Sense 2 takes a direct object without a preposition.

boasting — noun