Is there a single word for "one who speaks/boasts a lot about everything"?

Question

I'm looking for a single word to most aptly describe a person possessing the following "qualities":

Appears to be superior in every technology/skill under the sun, which he deems worthy of knowing
On being questioned/assigned the task, is found to have only superficial/no knowledge of the said skill.
Inherent tendency to "one-up" anyone and everyone - example: "I didn't work hard at all in my undergrad days, but yet I have better/equal grades than you have! "

Could someone help?

Edit: I've got some very good responses, but despite popular opinion for "braggart", I'm going with "pretentious" as it suits what I was looking for more aptly IMHO.

You might want to call them a narcissist as they almost certainly are one though it doesn't necessarily imply the lack of ability. Also see Dunning-Kruger effect for a possible cause of that character flaw http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect — Robb, Apr 08 '11 at 17:16
You seem to have perfectly described what I would consider the stereotypical nerd. We nerds all have to admit that, deep down, we are like this. The nerd in any given situation who does this best is termed the alpha nerd or silver specs. — snumpy, Apr 08 '11 at 17:20
@Ben Voigt A true nerd never thinks he overstates his ability. — snumpy, Apr 08 '11 at 18:43
@snumpy: Overstating one's ability without knowing it is a sure sign of a nerd-wannabe. See Robb's comment above. True nerds provide the basis for comparison which exposes the wannabe. — Ben Voigt, Apr 08 '11 at 18:51
In sweden we call them "Besserwisser" from the german "Besser" = Better, Wisser = "Knowing" — Homde, Apr 09 '11 at 12:22

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 · Answer 1 · 2014-12-15T15:40:37.933

43

Some choices:

know-it-all

A person who behaves as if they know everything
braggart

A person who boasts about their achievements or possessions
blow-hard

A boastful or pompous person

(Definitions from Oxford Dictionaries Online)

edited Dec 15 '14 at 15:40

answered Apr 08 '11 at 16:58

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

26,528

All very good answers, but I was looking for something, I don't know, elegant and less colloquial - for instead, "charlatan" instead of "trickster" :) Anyway, I'll accept this as answer in a day if no other answers come in !! – TCSGrad Apr 08 '11 at 17:09
6

@shan23 - I wouldn't call braggart colloquial, I would consider it along the same lines as charlatan! – Robb Apr 08 '11 at 17:13
A know-it-all actually knows it all, so he/she isn't actually bragging. – apoorv020 Apr 08 '11 at 17:47
2

@shan23 I agree with @Robb - I consider braggart to be elegant and not colloquial at all. Perhaps you mean you're looking for something more diplomatic or tactful? – HaL Apr 08 '11 at 18:25
2

@apoorv: The meaning of know-it-all has shifted to a connotation similar to goody-two-shoes and is applied to people who merely think they know-it-all. – MrHen Apr 08 '11 at 19:59
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@shan23: Don't feel any pressure to accept this answer if you don't like the word choices :) – Mr. Shiny and New 安宇 Apr 08 '11 at 20:40
1

Another +1 for braggart, that word popped into my mind before the page even loaded. – Adam Smith Apr 08 '11 at 23:40
Reason why I wasn't too keen on braggart - While it implies a boastful/talkative person, it says nothing about lack of abilities to follow it up. A very gifted/intelligent person could be a braggart if he chose to shout about all his abilities... – TCSGrad Apr 09 '11 at 07:12
+1 for 'braggart', which is the word that came to my mind too. 'know-it-all' seems more specific to knowledge rather than skills. I think 'blow-hard' should be marked "mainly US" - I've never heard of it in the UK, and i think it could easily be completely misunderstood... – onestop Apr 09 '11 at 09:38
1

"Blowhard" fits quite well in the US, though. +1 – cHao Apr 09 '11 at 16:28
An old girlfriend of mine used to call me a "knowing f**k-it-all", which I've always treasured. – MT_Head May 16 '11 at 03:41

score 25 · Accepted Answer · edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

25

I think you may want pretentious.

Not a single word, but my favourite expression for this sort of person is all hat and no cattle.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

tchrist

134,759

answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:19

dnagirl

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The best one according to me - I'll accept it if nothing better comes along !! – TCSGrad Apr 09 '11 at 07:20
1

"All mouth and no trousers" is also used in parts of the UK. – MSpeed Apr 09 '11 at 09:48

score 25 · Answer 3 · answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:27

25

Poseur comes to mind, particularly if that person doesn't live up to the qualities he or she boasts about.

answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:27

HaL

8,876

1

I do believe that not having the skills claimed was a central part of the question, so poseur certainly is apropos. – Ben Voigt Apr 08 '11 at 18:49
4

I don't know if this is part of what shan had in mind, but this answer has the added advantage of sounding pretty pretentious itself, making it terribly delicious. – jhocking Apr 08 '11 at 20:06
Very apt word... +1 – TCSGrad Apr 09 '11 at 07:20

score 11 · Answer 4 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

11

Egotistical, perhaps. It has the right connotations of conceit and excessive boasting.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

tchrist

134,759

answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:08

Ben Voigt

2,809

score 7 · Answer 5 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:41

7

If you are willing to use popular culture, you can call him Topper after the character of that name in the popular comic strip Dilbert. Here is a link showing some strips featuring him.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:41

tchrist

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answered Apr 08 '11 at 17:44

apoorv020

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Stole my answer :P – Kevin Apr 08 '11 at 18:28
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That's nothing! I've answered 2900 english.SE questions suggesting to use “one-upper”, and they were all accepted. – Agos Apr 08 '11 at 23:56
Great link !! I continue to be amazed at the diversity of answers I get at SE... +1 !! – TCSGrad Apr 09 '11 at 07:07
@shan:Well SE is mostly a techie's forum, and Dilbert is a techie's comic strip. – apoorv020 Apr 09 '11 at 18:08

score 7 · Answer 6 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

7

You could use mouth, as in for example:

She’s all mouth.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:40

tchrist

134,759

answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:17

3

"She's all mouth" will probably be misunderstood. – Neil G Apr 09 '11 at 05:57
1

What Neil said. I think you might mean "talk"...? "She's all talk" would sound a lot more natural to my ears, and means what I think you intend... – kitukwfyer Apr 09 '11 at 21:18
@kitukwfyer It's a UK idiom based on a Northern English expression. We use 'all talk' as well - which is probably a little less derogatory – Apr 10 '11 at 13:53

score 6 · Answer 7 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:41

6

There’s quacksalver, which is someone who falsely claims to have certain skills or knowledge (especially, but not limited to, medical knowledge) for personal gain.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:41

tchrist

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answered Apr 08 '11 at 23:54

Andrew Lambert

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Interesting word - +1 – TCSGrad Apr 09 '11 at 07:17

score 5 · Answer 8 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

5

Narcissistic

http://dictionary.reference.com

nar·cis·sism [nahr-suh-siz-em]
–noun

1. inordinate fascination with oneself; excessive self-love; vanity.

2. Psychoanalysis . erotic gratification derived from admiration of one's own physical or mental attributes, being a normal condition at the infantile level of personality development.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

tchrist

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answered Apr 08 '11 at 19:28

Bill

491

score 5 · Answer 9 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

5

How‪‪‪‪‪‪‪‪ about vainglorious?

edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

tchrist

134,759

answered May 02 '11 at 18:30

ykombinator

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score 4 · Answer 10 · answered Apr 08 '11 at 18:05

He could be "a phony", or "all talk" (and no action), or "a poser", or "a fraud"; or, if you want to get wordy about it, he "has an overdeveloped sense of self-importance" or he's "too full of himself." (And if you want to be a bit mean, "clearly he's trying to compensate for something." [meaning, he talks so much about all his other supposed skills in order to cover for his lack of sexual prowess.])

score 4 · Answer 11 · edited Apr 09 '11 at 03:26

4

Lots of good choices already, so I'll specialize: in business information technology, the operative word is consultant. Your points sum up the general modus operandi for how consultants a) get work without a formal interview process; and b) keep employees on the defensive, or from looking too closely at their credentials.

edited Apr 09 '11 at 03:26

Jimi Oke

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answered Apr 08 '11 at 19:56

mfe

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score 4 · Answer 12 · answered Apr 09 '11 at 01:12

4

If you want something that sounds a little more classy than "braggart" (which is an excellent word) you could always try "braggadocio." It's not as good as braggart, but it might fit.

My second choice would be "scaramouche." Scaramouche was the name of a stock character in Italian theatre for a time. In addition to boastfulness, the scaramouche was typically a coward and/or an idiot. Seems to fall in nicely with what you're looking for.

It's also the name of a great book by Rafael Sabatini...Must...plug...the master...:p

answered Apr 09 '11 at 01:12

kitukwfyer

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Braggadocio is not a noun in English, however. – Marcin Apr 09 '11 at 15:04
3

@Marcin Yes it is. Go check a dictionary! :) Still, I agree that it's used less commonly as a noun meaning braggart, but I've heard it done, and it seems it's allowed. – kitukwfyer Apr 09 '11 at 15:17
I stand corrected! – Marcin Apr 10 '11 at 13:47
scaramouche.... scaramouche? Will you do the fandango? – EleventhDoctor Jul 29 '15 at 09:59

score 4 · Answer 13 · answered May 16 '11 at 00:01

4

I like "topper" from Dilbert.

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answered May 16 '11 at 00:01

Peter K.

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Elian · Answer 14 · 2014-05-11T21:48:23.713

3

Consider "wise guy," "wiseacre," "wisenheimer," and "smart aleck."

wise guy: Informal. a cocksure, conceited, and often insolent person; smart aleck: he has a reputation for being a wise guy.

"highfalutin" might also work in the way of adjectives.

highfalutin: seeming or trying to seem great or important; pretentious.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:48

answered May 11 '14 at 17:44

Elian

43,007

If you are going copy out text verbatim, our Help Center says that you must name where you got the original from, and this post fails to do that. Please see the question on meta entitled “What to do about missing source attributions: Copying, Linking, Attributions, and Plagiarism for discussion on this. – tchrist Jul 07 '14 at 22:11

score 3 · Answer 15 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

3

Arrogant or conceited may be what you're looking for. Given the description in your question, both seem to apply. I do not believe, however, that there is a single word which would cover both definitions and not be rather impolite.

edited May 11 '14 at 21:44

tchrist

134,759

answered Apr 08 '11 at 17:19

ssakl

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An arrogant person need not engage in bragging or one upmanship – apoorv020 Apr 08 '11 at 17:42
Edited my answer. – ssakl Apr 08 '11 at 18:18

score 3 · Answer 16 · edited May 11 '14 at 21:45

If my audience consisted entirely of Australians and/or New Zealanders, I would use the word skite. In my opinion, this is the best match for the sort of person you are describing.

If my audience contained people from outside of these two countries, I would have to concur with some of the other answers here, and pick braggart or narcissist.

score 2 · Answer 17 · answered May 16 '11 at 04:06

2

From the OP's question, I thought I understood that a noun was needed. So I suggest Rodomonte.

answered May 16 '11 at 04:06

MT_Head

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Rodomonte is a specific character. The derived noun rodomontade is more appropriate. – James Waldby - jwpat7 Nov 27 '14 at 16:45
1

@jwpat7 - The OP asked for a name/descriptor for the person, not for what they do. So I respectfully disagree. – MT_Head Nov 27 '14 at 20:14
OP's question asks for “a single word to most aptly describe” a certain kind of person. It doesn't contain the word name. Although I can imagine the possibility you might be right with your Rodomonte suggestion, I find it easier to believe in my rodomontade suggestion. :) – James Waldby - jwpat7 Nov 28 '14 at 06:16

hippietrail · Answer 18 · 2014-11-28T00:36:02.413

1

On reading the title I immediately thought of "braggart" but on reading the full question I realized the word that comes closest is "wanker".

Of course this may only work in the British Isles, Australia, and New Zealand. And it will have higher levels of rudeness in certain demographics. Bit it's the best word (-:

edited Nov 28 '14 at 00:36

answered May 16 '11 at 05:51

hippietrail

7,658

score 1 · Answer 19 · edited Jan 24 '12 at 01:22

1

I would suggest exhibitionist.

edited Jan 24 '12 at 01:22

Daniel

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answered Jan 24 '12 at 00:59

Patricia Reilly Gif

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score 0 · Answer 20 · answered Jan 27 '13 at 02:16

0

How about bullshitter. Though not for formal documents obviously.

answered Jan 27 '13 at 02:16

Mynamite

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score 0 · Answer 21 · answered Jan 27 '13 at 03:32

0

"Sciolist", meaning "someone who claims to be knowledgable and well-informed" could work, as could "dilettante", meaning "a person who cultivates an area of interest, such as the arts, without real commitment or knowledge", though the former seems more applicable and less subject-specific.

answered Jan 27 '13 at 03:32

Bragi

121

Got any sources? – James Waldby - jwpat7 Nov 27 '14 at 16:46

score 0 · Answer 22 · answered Jul 07 '14 at 00:04

0

How about a "pseudo-intellectual" ? I heard it a few times.

answered Jul 07 '14 at 00:04

Centaurus

50,047

score 0 · Answer 23 · edited Jun 15 '20 at 07:40

A show-off, according to Cambridge Dictionary:

disapproving, "a person who shows off (= behaves in a way intended to attract attention that other people often find annoying)" 1

A grandstander, according to Cambridge Dictionary:

disapproving, "someone who acts or speaks in a way that is intended to attract attention and impress people watching" 2

Attribution

1 "Grandstander Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary." Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed March 25, 2018. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/grandstander?a=british.

2 "Grandstander Meaning in the Cambridge English Dictionary." Cambridge Dictionary. Accessed March 25, 2018. https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/grandstander?a=british.

Is there a single word for "one who speaks/boasts a lot about everything"?

23 Answers23

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