Flaunt vs. Flout
“Flaunt” means to show something off conspicuously, often to attract admiration. “Flout” means deliberately disobey or disregard a rule, law, convention, or custom. The words are semantically different and also have distinct standard pronunciations.
Use “flaunt” when someone displays or shows something off. Use “flout” when someone deliberately breaks or disregards a rule, law, or convention.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| display or show something off | flaunt | Use “flaunt.” |
| deliberately disregard a rule, law, or convention | flout | Use “flout.” |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the meaning “openly display or show off” rather than “disobey or disregard”?
If yes: Use “flaunt.”
If no: Use “flout” when the object is a rule, law, convention, or other requirement being disregarded.
Caveat: The two verbs are often confused because they sound similar, but their meanings are distinct; preserve the inherited minimal example pair exactly.
Examples
He likes to flaunt his expensive watch.
“Flaunt” means display or show off.
The company was accused of flouting the rules.
“Flout” means deliberately disregard or disobey.
They flouted the convention despite repeated warnings.
“Flout” takes the rule or convention being disregarded.
Further guidance
Common Confusion
The pair are spelling neighbors but not synonyms: you flaunt wealth; you flout rules.
Flaunt
Cambridge defines flaunt as making something one is proud of obvious so others notice or admire it.
Flout
Cambridge defines flout as intentionally not obeying a rule, law, or custom.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Flaunt — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Meaning and pronunciation for flaunt
- Flout — English meaning (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Meaning and pronunciation for flout