bravado

Bravado carries a strong connotation of falseness or performance. It is not synonymous with genuine courage; rather, it describes a facade of boldness used as a psychological shield. Because it implies a gap between outward appearance and inner reality, the word is frequently used in critical or analytical contexts to describe someone's insecurity or desperation.

In terms of usage, the word is typically uncountable. It describes a quality or a state of behavior rather than a discrete event. You would refer to "a sense of bravado" or "she exhibited bravado" rather than "a bravado."