flout

USFLOWT/flaʊt/

Verbflouts, flouting, flouted

Noun pluralflouts

Often confused with flaunt

4 meanings of flout

1
verbtransitive
To show that you do not respect a rule or law by what you say or do.
Some drivers flout the speed limit on this road every day.
The coach benched two players for flouting the team rules.
Similardefy, disregard, ignore, violate, breach
Oppositeobey, observe, respect
Note
2
nouncountable
Something done that shows no respect for a rule or law, or the breaking of a law.
Parking in the fire lane was a clear flout of the rules.
People were angry about the mayor's flout of the law he had just signed.
Similarviolation, breach, affront
Note
3
nouncountable
Something mean said or done to make fun of someone.
The new boy ignored every flout from the older kids.
She laughed off their flouts and kept on singing.
Similarinsult, jeer, taunt, gibe

Less common meaning

4
verbarchaictransitive
To show that you think someone or something is worthless.
The rich girls flout anyone who wears old clothes.
Three gaudy standards flout the pale blue sky.
1812, Lord Byron, Childe Harold’s PilgrimageHere, flout means treat with scorn, as if the flags mock the sky.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of flout apart? Answer 4 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It may come from an old English word meaning "to play the flute".