ESEN
Which one to use?Advancedverbverb
FloutvsFlaunt
'Flout' means to openly disregard or disobey a rule; 'flaunt' means to display something ostentatiously to impress others.
Side-by-side comparison
Flout
verb"Flout" means to deliberately ignore or disobey a rule, norm, or convention. "Flout the rules" = intentionally break the rules.
The company was fined for openly flouting environmental regulations for over a decade.
She flouted convention by wearing jeans to the black-tie event.
Flouting safety protocols puts not only yourself but your entire team at risk.
Flaunt
verb"Flaunt" means to show off or display something so others notice. "Flaunt your success" = show off your success. It is not about disobeying; it is about displaying.
He flaunted his new sports car by parking it prominently outside the office.
She never flaunted her wealth but lived quietly despite her considerable fortune.
The ad campaign flaunted the brand logo across every billboard in the city.
Common mistake
- •"She flaunted the rules" when meaning she openly broke them is wrong: to disregard a rule publicly is "flout".
- •"Flaunt" is to show off or display something ostentatiously.
Trick to remember it
- •"Flout" rhymes with "out": you are outing yourself as a rule-breaker.
- •"Flaunt" rhymes with "haunt": you haunt people with your display, making them envious.
Quick rule
- •Is it to openly break or disregard a rule? "Flout".
- •Is it to show off or display ostentatiously? "Flaunt".
Did you know?
The flaunt/flout confusion is one of the most documented errors in contemporary English: linguist Merriam-Webster noted as far back as 1994 that "flaunt" in the sense of "flout" was "very frequent" among educated speakers. "Flout" likely comes from Dutch "fluiten" (to play the flute, to whistle in contempt), a gesture of scorn or mockery. "Flaunt" has uncertain origins, possibly Scandinavian. Both entered English around the same period (16th-17th centuries) but through different routes, which may explain why they get mixed up.
Practise what you learned
Exercise 1 · Pick the right one
She always _____ s her designer clothes at work. Everyone knows how much she earns.
Exercise 2 · Pick the right one
He keeps _____ ing the school rules. He has been in trouble three times this week.
Exercise 3 · Form the word
Related word pairs
AcceptvsExcept
One means to receive or agree to something, the other means to exclude or not include.
AdvicevsAdvise
'Advice' is the guidance you receive (noun); 'advise' is the act of giving that guidance (verb).
AffectvsEffect
'Affect' is the verb meaning to influence something; 'effect' is the noun meaning result or consequence.
AislevsIsle
'Aisle' is the walkway between rows of seats or shelves; 'isle' is a small island.
Bryan López
Founder of SpeakUP Academy