bravado
A bold show of courage to hide how scared you really are.
bravado in a sentence
- Full of bravado, Max claimed he loved spiders, though his shaking hands said otherwise.
- His bravado disappeared at the top of the diving board, where his bold grin turned wobbly.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to bravado?
- Afear
- Bshyness
- Cbluster
- Dmodesty
Show the answer
C: bluster. The other three mean the opposite of bravado.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to bravado?
- Apretence
- Bbluster
- Cmodesty
Show the answer
C: modesty. The other three mean nearly the same as bravado.
Words that mean something similar
bluster, pretence
Words that mean the opposite
modesty, shyness, fear
More words about character & personality
- bystander: A person who watches something happen but does not take part.
- callous: Cruel and not caring about other people's feelings.
- candid: Honest and truthful, saying exactly what you really think.
- candidate: Someone who is trying to be chosen for a job, a prize or a place.
- capable: Able to do something well.
- compassionate: Feeling sorry for others who are hurting and wanting to help them.
- compatible: Able to exist or work well together.
- comrade: A close friend or companion, especially someone you share hard times with.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test