Dealing with a friend who constantly brags

Advice on how to handle a friend who won't stop tooting her own horn

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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A reader is seeking advice on how to deal with a friend who constantly brags about her own accomplishments and self-worth. The reader says this behavior is off-putting, but they don't want to directly confront their friend about it as it may make the friend angry and defensive.

Why it matters

Constant self-promotion from a friend can strain a relationship, even if the friend is generally a good person. Finding a way to address this behavior without damaging the friendship is important.

The details

The reader's friend frequently makes grandiose statements about how great she is. The reader usually ignores these comments rather than validating the friend's self-worth. The reader is concerned that directly calling out the behavior would make the friend angry and defensive, since she believes she is the best.

  • The reader has been dealing with this behavior from the friend for an unspecified period of time.

The players

The reader

A person who is generally friends with someone who constantly brags about themselves.

The friend

A friend of the reader who frequently makes grandiose statements about her own self-worth and accomplishments.

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What they’re saying

“Calling her out directly would make her angry and defensive, because she is, after all, the best.”

— The reader

The takeaway

Dealing with a friend who constantly brags about themselves can be challenging, but ignoring the behavior or approaching it with curiosity may be better strategies than directly confronting them, as that could damage the friendship.