Flaunt vs Flout: Which One Do You Need?
To flaunt is to show off. To flout is to break a rule openly.
He flaunted his wealth. They flouted the ban.
The test that settles it
Ask what the object is. Something you own or possess gets flaunted. A rule, a law or a convention gets flouted.
“___ the regulations” → a rule, so flout.
“___ her new car” → a possession, so flaunt.
Flaunt: to display ostentatiously
To show something off so that people notice. The object is something the person has — money, a talent, a relationship.
She never flaunted her success.
He flaunted his knowledge at every chance.
If you have it, flaunt it.
Swap in show off. If it works, flaunt.
Flout: to defy openly
To break a rule and not care who sees. The object is always a rule, law, order or convention.
Drivers routinely flout the speed limit.
The firm flouted safety regulations.
They flouted convention entirely.
Swap in defy or disregard. If it works, flout.
Side by side
| Flaunt | Flout |
|---|---|
| Show off | Break openly |
| Object is a possession | Object is a rule |
| Swaps with parade | Swaps with defy |
| Flaunt your medals | Flout the law |
The exception
Flaunting the rules appears constantly in print, and some dictionaries now record it as a secondary sense.
It is still treated as an error by editors, and it muddles a genuinely useful distinction: showing off and rule-breaking are different acts.
Where people get it wrong
| Incorrect | Correct | Why |
|---|---|---|
| They flaunted the parking rules. | They flouted the parking rules. | Rules get flouted. |
| She flouted her new ring. | She flaunted her new ring. | A possession gets flaunted. |
| flaunting authority | flouting authority | Defying it. |
| a flouting display of wealth | a flaunting display of wealth | Showing off. |
Practice — choose the right word, then check yourself.
- Motorists who ___ the ban face fines.
- He liked to ___ his connections.
- The club openly ___ licensing law.
- She refused to ___ her wealth.
- They ___ every convention of the genre.
Show the answers
1. flout 2. flaunt 3. flouted 4. flaunt 5. flouted
Frequently asked
How do I keep them apart?
Flout and outlaw share a sound, and both are about breaking rules.
Is “if you have it, flaunt it” correct?
Yes — the possession sense, and the phrase is fixed.
More words people confuse
