1
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a director who has little patience for overweening actors who think they are above taking advice and criticism
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
overweening desire for wealth and fame
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
an overweening administrator who simply doesn't know how to manage people
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in inflated
extended beyond normal or realistic bounds
an overweening national pride that prompted its citizens to denigrate other countries
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overweening
The doctrine itself has had all manner of ill effects on the capacity of employers to apply race-neutral or gender-neutral standards of qualification and fitness, and replaced the concept of an equal opportunity employer with the overweening human resources departments that gave us DEI.
—
The Editors, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
The overweening, violent farmer Xan Xanta and his mentally disabled younger brother Loren wanted to sell their land.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
But there’s something dingy and gross, like mottled drifts of old snow, about the overweening influence of Trump’s courtiers and their grubbing relationship with a president so obviously enamored of money and flattery.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
To deny Moscow such a dominant position was the overweening objective of all administrations, Democratic or Republican, since World War II.
—Josef Joffe, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2016
See All Example Sentences for overweening
The Editors, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
The overweening, violent farmer Xan Xanta and his mentally disabled younger brother Loren wanted to sell their land.
—Bartolomeo Sala, The Dial, 27 Mar. 2025
But there’s something dingy and gross, like mottled drifts of old snow, about the overweening influence of Trump’s courtiers and their grubbing relationship with a president so obviously enamored of money and flattery.
—Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 26 Jan. 2025
To deny Moscow such a dominant position was the overweening objective of all administrations, Democratic or Republican, since World War II.
—Josef Joffe, Foreign Affairs, 12 Dec. 2016
See All Example Sentences for overweening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overweening
Adjective
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As a sleazy, lecherous publicist pinned in a Manhattan phone booth by a faceless sniper on the other end of the line, Farrell goes from smug condescension to breathless victimhood pretty effortlessly.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Its bladeless construction is designed to pull in air and powerfully circulate it around the room, all without accumulating excessive dust like standard fans do—a double plus in my book.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
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And although its fats are healthy, excessive intake can still contribute to unwanted pounds.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
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The pilot opens with Powell’s character, arrogant college quarterback Russ Holliday, leading his Oregon Ducks team in the National Championship game against Georgia at the Rose Bowl.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Suarez blames too many New Yorkers moving in for the inflated real-estate prices.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
25 Oct. 2025
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In high-cost coastal cities, higher incomes tend to offset the inflated prices.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There are certainly some top-notch barbecue restaurants that made the cut, but the Michelin selection barely scratches the surface of the South’s long, proud barbecue tradition.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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What’s left now is a proud elite program trying to scrape its way into bowl season.—
D’Joumbarey Moreau,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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The research team claims that their strategy offers a novel approach to developing high-performance cathodes capable of operating under extreme temperatures.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Nov. 2025
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The scale runs from G1, minor, to G5, extreme.—
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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And when daily wear and tear was simulated – through continuous electric-toothbrush abrasion equivalent to about a year of brushing, as well as chewing and grinding – the teeth actually had superior resistance to wear, fracture and acid attack compared with natural enamel.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
5 Nov. 2025
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Instead of settling for 3-pointers, Boozer took the ball hard to the basket in the second half while a Duke team with obviously superior talent to Texas got untracked.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Complete with a puffy pink dress and exaggerated makeup, her whimsical take on the show’s contestants was a crowd favorite.—
Kate Hogan,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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The influencer’s minidress featured exaggerated off-the-shoulder sleeves with red and pink toned florals with green stems set against a black fabric.—
Julia Teti,
Footwear News,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overweening. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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