A humblebrag is a boast disguised as a complaint or modesty: “my awards don't fit on the shelf anymore”, “it's so awkward being recognised in the street all the time”. On the surface it's a complaint; underneath, it's showing off. It's a noun (a humblebrag) and a verb (to humblebrag). Informal, usually mocking.
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a humblebrag about something; humblebrag about + noun / -ing
- Saying that your awards take up too much shelf space sounds like a humblebrag.
- He humblebragged about being asked to judge three competitions in one week.
- Her complaint about having too many fans was an obvious humblebrag.
What changed
First versionHe humblebraged about having no room left for his trophies.
RevisionHe humblebragged about having no room left for his trophies.
The ending is added to brag, and in a short verb like this the final g doubles before -ed: bragged, so humblebragged. The long word throws people off, as if the short-verb rule no longer applied. The same goes for -ing: humblebragging.
To brag is to boast openly: he bragged about his salary. A humblebrag hides the same thing inside a complaint. A real complaint stays a complaint even if it mentions success: “I got promoted, but now I work till midnight” may simply be tiredness.
Your turn
Choose the correct past form: She ___ about how difficult it was to choose between two prizes.
Show the answer
humblebragged — The correct form is humblebragged with a double g, like bragged. The other option skips the doubling before -ed.
Write a line that sounds like a complaint but is really a boast, and call it a humblebrag.
His complaint about polishing all his medals was a humblebrag about winning so many races.
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