talked a big game
Made grand promises
Talked a big game means boasted or made confident claims without necessarily backing them up with action or results.
The phrase implies skepticism about whether the speaker can deliver: He talked a big game about his cooking skills, but dinner was a disaster.
Often used retrospectively when someone fails to meet their own hype.
- bragSpeak with excessive pride
- boastSpeak with excessive pride
- self-assuredTrusting in oneself
- overstateRepresent as greater
- bluffCalculated false front
cocky · reputation · strut · embellish · tall tales · overconfident · chest thumping · impression · exaggerate · hyperbolize · claim · grandstand · showboat · fabricate · empty promises · lip service · puff piece · feign
talked a big gamehumble
Unassuming about oneself
modest · self-effacing · understated · kept a low profile · walked the walk
talked a big gamewalked the walk
Acted on stated beliefs
put up · showed up · came through · performed · executed
talk, talked, talking, talks, talker, talkers, talkative, bigger, biggest