Word
Of
The
Day
vaunted
vaunted \VAWN-tud\
adjective
Vaunted describes someone or something that is often spoken of or described as very good or great.
// The team’s
vaunted defense faltered in the second half of the game.
See the entry >
Examples:
“After much initial hype, the much
vaunted new production partnership fizzled out after just two seasons, leaving the franchise scrambling for a new direction and without a lead actor in its signature role.” — Lacy Baugher,
Den of Geek, 22 Jan. 2026
Did you know?
The verb
vaunt has been used since the 15th century with the meaning “to make a vain display of one’s own worth or attainments”—in other words, “to brag or boast.” Over time,
vaunt developed the meaning “to boast of (a particular thing),” as in “the promotional flier vaunts the natural beauty of the area,” and that use gave rise to the adjectival form
vaunted. The history of
vaunt and
vaunted leads back to the Latin word
vānus, with the meanings “lacking content, empty, illusory, marked by foolish or empty pride.” The word
vain itself is also a descendant of
vānus.