1. Act in an arrogant, overly self-assured, or conceited manner
   "The politician blustered through the debate, avoiding direct questions";
   - swagger, swash [archaic]
    
2. Show off, esp. with exaggeration
   "He was always blustering about his athletic achievements";
   - boast, swash [archaic], shoot a line [informal], brag, gas [informal], blow [informal], vaunt, gasconade [archaic], skite [Austral, NZ, informal]
    
3. Blow hard; be gusty, as of wind
   "A southeaster blustered onshore"; "The flames blustered"

1. Vain and empty boasting
   "The athlete's bluster before the match irritated his opponents";
   - braggadocio, rodomontade, rhodomontade
    
2. Insincere or vague talk with empty promises etc. that is supposed to impress
   "mere bluster";
   - hot air [informal], empty words, empty talk, rhetoric
    
3. A swaggering show of courage
   "His bluster in the face of danger impressed his comrades";
   - bravado
    
4. A violent gusty wind
   "The bluster rattled the windows and bent the trees"
    
5. Noisy confusion and turbulence
   "he was awakened by the bluster of their preparations"

Derived forms: blusters, blustering, blustered

Type of: acquit, act, amplify, bear, behave, blast, blow, boast, boasting, bunk [informal], carry, comport, conduct, confusion, deport, do, exaggerate, fanfare, flash, gust, hokum [informal], hyperbolise [Brit], hyperbolize, jactitation, magnify, meaninglessness, nonsense, nonsensicality, ostentation, overdraw, overstate, self-praise, skite [Austral, NZ, informal]

Encyclopedia: Bluster