verb
gloat
gloht
verb
1
To show obvious, often smug pleasure at your own success or at someone else's failure.
"He couldn't resist gloating after his rival dropped out of the race."
"She gloated over her ex-boyfriend's messy breakup."
noun
1
An act of gloating.
"His victory gloat lasted the entire car ride home."
How to Use Gloat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishShowing off, smugly, that you won or that someone else lost.
Common mistake
Gloating is always self-satisfied and a bit mean-spirited — it's not neutral pride, it's pride rubbed in someone's face.
Common pairings
gloat over a victory
gloat about it
can't help but gloat
Word Forms
gloated past tense, gloats plural, gloats singular
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “gloat”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
He couldn't resist _____ after his rival dropped out of the race.
Etymology
From Middle English roots meaning "to grin or stare scornfully," ultimately traced back to an Old Norse or Old English word for staring — the same ancient family that gives us "glow" and "glint."