Definition
A humblebrag refers to a statement, usually made by someone about themselves, which appears to be modest, self-deprecating or humble but is actually an attempt to draw attention to one’s achievements or to highlight one’s positive attributes.
Pronunciation
US English
UK English
Part of speech
Noun
Synonyms
False modesty, feigned humility, self-promotion
Antonyms
Modesty, humility
Example sentences
-
“I can’t believe I got accepted into Harvard Law School, but now I’m going to have to figure out how to balance my studies with all the job offers I’ve been getting.”
-
“I don’t know how I did it, but I managed to finish that marathon even though I didn’t train as much as I should have. My body is just naturally athletic, I guess.”
-
“I’m really not a great writer, but I just won a prestigious literary award for my debut novel. I guess I got lucky with this one.”
-
“I’m not trying to show off or anything, but I just got back from a luxury vacation in the Maldives where I had the most amazing time. I mean, I’m just a simple person who enjoys the simple things in life.”
-
“I’m not saying I’m a genius or anything, but I did get a perfect score on the SAT without even studying. It just comes naturally to me, I guess.”
-
“I don’t mean to sound like I’m showing off, but I just got a promotion and a big raise at work. It’s not like I was even trying, it just happened.”
Usage
The term “humblebrag” was coined by comedian Harris Wittels in 2010 and has gained popularity ever since. The use of this word has become more common, especially with the rise of social media, where people often use it to subtly showcase their accomplishments while pretending to be modest or humble.
The word “humblebrag” is a compound word formed by combining the words “humble” and “brag”. The prefix “humble” means having or showing a modest or low estimate of one’s importance, while the word “brag” means to speak boastfully about one’s achievements or possessions. Together, these words form a term that describes a particular type of statement that is both modest and self-promoting.
There are also variations of the word “humblebrag” that use prefixes or suffixes to modify its meaning. For example, the prefix “super” can be added to the word to create “supersized humblebrag,” which refers to an even more exaggerated form of the humblebrag. Similarly, the suffix “-ing” can be added to create “humblebragging,” which refers to the act of making a humblebrag statement.
Overall, the word “humblebrag” is a useful term to describe a type of statement that is often seen in our daily lives. By recognizing and understanding this behavior, we can be more mindful of our own communication and avoid inadvertently humblebragging ourselves.
