fandom_grammar . Answer: "flout" v. "flaunt" (Reply)

The question is: What is the difference between "flout" and "flaunt"?

"Flout" and "flaunt" are verbs which look and sound similar to one another, and are frequently confused. However, despite their similarities, they have distinct meanings and cannot be used interchangeably. The difference between the words is obvious when looking at how the Oxford English Dictionary defines them.

Flaunt means to "display proudly; show off; parade". For example, you might flaunt a new necklace by wearing it to work.

1. After being grazed by a bullet while pursuing a suspect, Tony flaunted his wound in an effort to generate sympathy from his team mates.

2. Jack walked slowly back and forth in front of the surveillance camera, flaunting himself in order to draw a response from building security.

Flout means to "disobey (the law, etc.) contemptuously; mock; insult". The important part of this definition is that it's not just disobedience, it is contemptuous disobedience. This is the key aspect of "flout", which has a much more negative meaning than "flaunt" because it relates to a deliberate violation of standards or laws. These examples hopefully make that difference clearer.

1. McGee's jaw dropped as he watched Gibbs strap on his gun and walk into the elevator, flouting Vance's direct order to stay in the building.

2. Abby and McGee knew they were flouting Gibbs' Rule Twelve when they decided to start dating.

Unfortunately there isn't an easy way to remember when to use which word, but something that may prove helpful is to remember that "flout" includes the word "out", which can be synonymous with being outside the law.

Sources

The Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary
WSU Common Errors in English Usage