Meanings
phrase
- idiomaticPrepended to praise of oneself or one's own doings, as a form of modesty.
Synonyms: if I do say so myself, in all modesty, though I say it who should not
Synonyms & antonyms
phrasePrepended to praise of oneself or one's own doings, as a form of modesty.
Origin
A reference to the fact that the speaker is about to say something boastful rather than modest.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
German ich will nicht angeben
- ich will nicht angebenused to apologize for a possibly immodest statement
Italian non per dire, modestia a parte
- non per direused to apologize for a possibly immodest statement
- modestia a parteused to apologize for a possibly immodest statement
- non per vantarmelaused to apologize for a possibly immodest statement
Portuguese modéstia à parte
- modéstia à parteused to apologize for a possibly immodest statement
Cite this entry
APA
not to brag. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20to%20brag
MLA
“not to brag.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20to%20brag. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “not to brag,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/not%20to%20brag.
Source: not to brag on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.