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Prepositions after verbs

Brag about, to, in, by or of?

Brag about and brag of are standard for the topic of boasting. Brag to names the listener. Brag in and brag by are not normal fixed patterns after brag.

Quick answer

How do you use brag with prepositions?

Use brag about or brag of for what someone boasts about. Use brag to for the person listening. Brag in and brag by usually introduce separate details, not fixed combinations.

He kept bragging about his new car.
She bragged to her friends.
The company bragged of its long history.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
brag about + achievement

Talking about what someone boasts about

Brag about is the most common everyday pattern.

They bragged about their exam scores.
2
brag of + quality/success

Using a more formal or literary style

Brag of is correct but often sounds more formal or literary.

The city brags of beautiful beaches.
3
brag to + person

Naming the listener

Use brag to when identifying who hears the boasting.

He bragged to everyone at work.
4
bragging rights

Using a fixed expression

Bragging rights refers to the right to boast after success.

The win gave them bragging rights for a year.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
brag about
She bragged about her promotion.
boast about a topic or achievement
brag of
The restaurant brags of local ingredients.
boast of a quality; often formal
brag to
He bragged to his cousins.
identify the listener
brag in
He bragged in interviews about his success.
in introduces a place or context, not a fixed pattern
brag by
She bragged by exaggerating every detail.
by introduces method, not a fixed pattern

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using brag to for the topic

Use brag about or brag of for the subject of boasting.

✕ She bragged to her salary. ✓ She bragged about her salary.

Treating brag in as a fixed combination

In usually introduces a context or location.

✓ He bragged in front of the team.

Overusing brag of in casual conversation

Brag about sounds more natural in everyday speech.

✕ He bragged of his weekend plans. ✓ He bragged about his weekend plans.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. They kept ___ their expensive holiday.
2. The museum ___ its rare collection.
3. He always ___ his younger brother.

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Frequently asked questions

Is brag about more common than brag of?

Yes. Brag about is the usual everyday choice.

Can brag be positive?

It is often negative, but it can be playful or light-hearted in friendly contexts.

Do brag in and brag by exist?

They can appear when in or by adds extra information, but they are not standard fixed combinations after brag.

back-by-away-out-in, up backfire on, in, as, at or with? backtrack on, to, in, after or by? "baffle by" or "baffle as"? "bake in" or "bake for"? balance by, in, on, with or between? ban from, in, for, by or on? "bang on" or "bang for"? "banish from" or "banish to"? baptize in, by, into, with or on? "bargain for" or "bargain with"? "bark at" or "bark in"?

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