bravado
/brəˈvɑːdoʊ/noun
A bold, showy display meant to prove courage or defiance.
Example sentences
- “Despite all his bravado, he was clearly nervous before the interview.”
- “Behind his bravado, the young soldier was terrified of the coming battle.”
Implies the courage is partly performance: bravado is what someone shows when they may actually be afraid.