blow your own trumpet

Meaning

This British English idiom means to boast about or praise your own achievements, talents, or successes. It is often used with a slightly critical tone, though speakers sometimes use it self-deprecatingly to introduce their own accomplishments without sounding too arrogant.

Examples

• I don't mean to blow my own trumpet, but I actually got the highest score in the class.

  I don't mean to blow my own trumpet, but I actually got the highest score in the class.

• She is highly successful but never blows her own trumpet, which makes her very likable.

  She is highly successful but never blows her own trumpet, which makes her very likable.

• If you don't blow your own trumpet occasionally in this industry, nobody else will do it for you.

  If you don't blow your own trumpet occasionally in this industry, nobody else will do it for you.

• He spent the entire dinner blowing his own trumpet about his recent promotion.

  He spent the entire dinner blowing his own trumpet about his recent promotion.

• You've worked incredibly hard on this project, so feel free to blow your own trumpet!

  You've worked incredibly hard on this project, so feel free to blow your own trumpet!

Common Mistakes

• ✗ He is always blowing his own horn.

  ✓ He is always blowing his own trumpet.

  'Blow your own trumpet' is the standard British idiom, while 'toot/blow your own horn' is the American equivalent. Mixing them can sound slightly unnatural.

• ✗ She blew her own trumpet to get the job.

  ✓ She blew her own trumpet during the interview.

  This idiom describes the act of boasting, not a functional action or tool used to directly achieve a goal.

Related Expressions

Practice

• I hate to ___ , but I cooked this entire meal myself.

  💡 Boast about my own achievement.

  Show answer

  blow my own trumpet

• He is too modest to ___ , so I will do it for him.

  💡 Talk about his own successes.

  Show answer

  blow his own trumpet