self-congratulatory
adjective
self-con·grat·u·la·to·ry
ˌself-kən-ˈgra-chə-lə-ˌtȯr-ē 
-ˈgra-jə-
: expressive of self-congratulation
self-congratulatory memoirs
Examples of self-congratulatory in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Scoop The Bottom Line Stylish but self-congratulatory.
—
Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Still, the general tone was self-congratulatory, and spilled over into the main order of business, the bestowing of awards.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Trump’s first trade war hurt overall U.S. economic performance, contrary to the candidate’s self-congratulatory claims.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
The self-congratulatory Beatles covers album is its own strange subgenre of bad soundtracks.
—Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 22 Jan. 2024
The governor’s annual State of the State speech, which formally kicks off the 60-day legislative session, has traditionally been both a self-congratulatory look back and a table-setting talk that sets the agenda for the challenges ahead.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2024
Its status as the looser and visibly inebriated younger cousin of the Oscars offered a counterweight to the self-serious, self-congratulatory exercise of the film academy’s annual ceremony and the seemingly endless parade of precursor events.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024
Leftist slogans about hate are naught but smug, self-congratulatory moral preening.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 10 Nov. 2023
Owens trots out replicas of the awards and places them onstage, little self-congratulatory bits that do not enhance the performance.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 4 Apr. 2024
Still, the general tone was self-congratulatory, and spilled over into the main order of business, the bestowing of awards.
—Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Trump’s first trade war hurt overall U.S. economic performance, contrary to the candidate’s self-congratulatory claims.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024
The self-congratulatory Beatles covers album is its own strange subgenre of bad soundtracks.
—Stephen Deusner, SPIN, 22 Jan. 2024
The governor’s annual State of the State speech, which formally kicks off the 60-day legislative session, has traditionally been both a self-congratulatory look back and a table-setting talk that sets the agenda for the challenges ahead.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2024
Its status as the looser and visibly inebriated younger cousin of the Oscars offered a counterweight to the self-serious, self-congratulatory exercise of the film academy’s annual ceremony and the seemingly endless parade of precursor events.
—Ryan Faughnder, Los Angeles Times, 9 Jan. 2024
Leftist slogans about hate are naught but smug, self-congratulatory moral preening.
—Noah Rothman, National Review, 10 Nov. 2023
Owens trots out replicas of the awards and places them onstage, little self-congratulatory bits that do not enhance the performance.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'self-congratulatory.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1798, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of self-congratulatory was
in 1798
Dictionary Entries Near self-congratulatory
Cite this Entry
“Self-congratulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-congratulatory. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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