rhizoverbBeta
DictionarygloatSmug satisfaction
verb / noun

gloat

GLOHT/ɡləʊt/

Taking smug pleasure in one's success or another's misfortune.

The older woman gloats over her winning pieces before her dejected opponent.

An older woman gloats after winning a tabletop game, ostentatiously displaying her winning pieces toward her visibly dejected opponent with a smug, sideways grin.
Etymology
gloatEnglishto stare; scowl

Gloat probably began as a variant of glout, meaning to stare or scowl. Looking furtively developed into looking with malicious satisfaction, shifting the emphasis from the gaze to the smug pleasure behind it.

In context

Prof. Sam Vaknin34:09
they would harass you and harangue and hector and and set you up for failure and defeat and then gloat with glee at your misadventures and mishaps
Contemptuous Narcissist (Starts 21:45), Contemptible You, Psychopath Celebrates

More examples

  • Don't gloat over someone else's bad luck.
  • They are still gloating about their perfect scores.
  • After beating me at chess, she allows herself a brief gloat.

Forms

gloat · gloats · gloated · gloating

gloater noun — Someone who takes or expresses smug pleasure.

Similar words

crow
Emphasizes loudly celebrating a victory or personal success.
boast
Means talking proudly about achievements, not necessarily enjoying another's misfortune.