Meaning
A statement, usually a complaint or a show of modesty, that is really intended to boast; for example sighing about how exhausting it is to be asked for autographs. It works as both a noun ('a humblebrag') and a verb ('to humblebrag'). Informal, always derogatory about the speaker's transparency. Informal and mocking; describing something as a humblebrag always implies insincerity. Regional use: General English; strongest in online contexts.
Origin
The word was coined in 2010 by Harris Wittels, a writer and eventual executive producer on NBC's Parks and Recreation. In November 2010 he created the @humblebrag Twitter account, retweeting real examples of social-media users disguising boasts as humility or complaints, and the account's popularity fixed the word in the vocabulary of internet culture. He continued the theme with a Grantland column rounding up notable celebrity humblebrags and a 2012 book, Humblebrag: The Art of False Modesty. After Wittels's death in February 2015 at age 30, obituary coverage in outlets such as The Verge and NPR affiliates widely repeated the fact that he coined the word, and the term has since been absorbed into general English without most users knowing its Twitter origin.
Research Sources
References used to check this entry’s meaning, history, or documented forms.
Variants
- humblebragged
- humblebragging
- to humblebrag
Usage Examples
- Posting that your only flaw is working too hard is a textbook humblebrag.
- She humblebragged about how hard it is to choose between two job offers.
- The interview turned into a humblebrag about running marathons during conference season.