brat pack: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Medium-low. A fixed cultural reference, not used in daily conversation but widely understood.Colloquial and journalistic.
Quick answer
What does “brat pack” mean?
A group of young celebrities, often from the film industry, who are known for their wealth, popularity, and sometimes rebellious or spoiled behavior.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A group of young celebrities, often from the film industry, who are known for their wealth, popularity, and sometimes rebellious or spoiled behavior.
Can refer to any close-knit, influential, and often glamorous group of young people perceived as rising stars in a particular field (e.g., finance, journalism). It sometimes carries a negative connotation of arrogance, cliquishness, or entitlement.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is American in origin and primarily refers to American cultural phenomena. In British contexts, it is used but typically only when discussing the original US Brat Pack or a similar UK group (e.g., 'Brit Pack').
Connotations
The connotations are similar across both dialects: a mix of glamour, youth, and mild disapproval.
Frequency
Much more frequent in American English, especially in media/pop culture journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “brat pack” in a Sentence
the Brat Pack (definite article + proper noun)a brat pack of + [field/industry] + stars/celebritiesVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “brat pack” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The media tried to brat-pack them, but they resisted the label.
- They were brat-packed by the press after their first hit.
American English
- The media tried to brat-pack them, but they resisted the label.
- They were brat-packed by the press after their first hit.
adverb
British English
- Not standard. The term is not used as an adverb.
American English
- Not standard. The term is not used as an adverb.
adjective
British English
- She had a brat-pack attitude.
- The film has a brat-pack vibe.
American English
- She had a brat-pack attitude.
- The film has a brat-pack vibe.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rarely used, except perhaps metaphorically for a group of young, aggressive financiers or entrepreneurs.
Academic
Used in cultural studies, film history, and media studies as a specific historical/cultural term.
Everyday
Used in casual conversation when discussing celebrity culture, films of the 1980s, or describing a group of arrogant young people.
Technical
Not used in technical contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “brat pack”
- Using it as a singular noun for one person (e.g., 'He's a brat pack'). It always refers to a group. Misspelling as 'bratpack' (should be two words).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The term was coined in a 1985 New York Magazine article focusing on actors Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, and Judd Nelson. It is commonly extended to include contemporaries like Molly Ringwald, Ally Sheedy, Anthony Michael Hall, and Andrew McCarthy.
It is ambivalent. It acknowledges fame and success but implies immaturity, cliquishness, and a spoiled attitude. Many members of the original group disliked the label.
Yes, it has been extended metaphorically to other fields like finance ('Wall Street brat pack'), publishing, or politics, to describe any prominent, youthful in-group.
When referring specifically to the original 1980s Hollywood group, it is often capitalized as a proper noun ('the Brat Pack'). When used generically for any similar group, it is usually lowercase ('a brat pack of bloggers').
A group of young celebrities, often from the film industry, who are known for their wealth, popularity, and sometimes rebellious or spoiled behavior.
Brat pack is usually colloquial and journalistic. in register.
Brat pack: in British English it is pronounced /bræt pæk/, and in American English it is pronounced /bræt pæk/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific. The term itself is a fixed phrase.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'brat' (a spoiled child) + 'pack' (a group of animals, like wolves). A 'brat pack' is a pack of spoiled/privileged young celebrities running together.
Conceptual Metaphor
CELEBRITIES ARE SPOILED CHILDREN; A SOCIAL GROUP IS A PACK OF ANIMALS.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary origin of the term 'Brat Pack'?