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Grammar girl here, I'm a neon-fogarty, and you can think of me as your friendly guide to the English language.

We talk about writing, history, rules, and cool stuff.

Today, we'll talk about flouting and flaunting, one of which has a really interesting etymology,

and we'll talk about whether we band together or band together.

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Last week, a reader named Brad wrote to me and said, quote,

Recently, I've been seeing lots of flaunt in place of flout,

as in disobeying rules to shelter in place.

So I naturally thought of grammar girl.

Then I turned to Merriam Webster and discovered that one of flaunt's connotations

is indeed to treat contemptuously as in someone flaunted the rules.

Apparently, so many folks were using flaunt in place of flout that, well, you know how it goes.

Maybe it's a good time to revisit the difference, unquote.

Indeed, Brad, indeed.

Let's start with the basics.

Flout and flout sound a lot alike, but they don't mean the same thing.

Traditionally, when you flaunt yourself, flaunt your wealth, or flaunt your accomplishments,

you're parading them in front of people, you're showing off.

Flout means to disregard scoff at mock or show scorn.

If you're having a big party when your state or country has a shelter in place order,

you're flouting the rules, you're flouting authority.

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