arrogance

noun

ar·ro·gance ˈer-ə-gən(t)s

ˈa-rə-

Synonyms of arrogance next

: an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions

Example Sentences

He was like a movie star at his high school reunion, muting his arrogance and trying to be a regular guy for old times' sake. He seemed to genuinely appreciate the honor. —

Carlo Rotella, New York Times Sports Magazine, June 2008

This kind of official arrogance is not new, of course, although it is perhaps more common in dictatorships than in democracies. —

Ian Buruma, New York Times Book Review, 17 Sept. 2006

Arrogance is, at once, what an athlete most needs and what fans least want to see. —

Dan Le Batard, ESPN, 15 Mar. 2004

A British expat who could have stepped out of a Graham Greene plot, Twyman makes an improbable Jamaican hero. His self-assurance borders on arrogance, particularly when something is not done precisely the way he would do it himself. —

Barry Estabrook, Gourmet, July 2003

Her arrogance has earned her a lot of enemies. We were shocked by the arrogance of his comments. See More

Recent Examples on the Web The story is an old one of greed, complicity and arrogance: Industry Analyst Complicity. —

Lora Cecere, Forbes, 4 May 2023 The former prime-time anchor’s behavior was another display of ill temper and arrogance, when morning TV demands at least faux cheerfulness and modesty. —

Rich Lowry, National Review, 27 Apr. 2023 Linney exudes steely confidence with a dash of haughty arrogance as Diana — perhaps masking insecurities over the humble trajectory of her own career. —

Dalton Ross, EW.com, 26 Apr. 2023 On the other hand, Jo’s upbeat disposition often translates as arrogance and unintentional manipulation. —

Vikram Murthi, The New Republic, 12 Apr. 2023 Near the beginning of Jane Smiley’s 1991 novel A Thousand Acres, an Iowa community’s pride in the draining of its marshes hints at the arrogance that undoes her modern-day Lear. —

Michelle Nijhuis, The New York Review of Books, 30 Mar. 2023 They were screwed by either their own imcompetence or their own arrogance. —

Julian Mark, Washington Post, 10 Mar. 2023 However, the flywheel of becoming a market share leader and the significant license revenues fueled an environment of arrogance low on self-reflection. —

Lora Cecere, Forbes, 4 May 2023 There isn't an ounce of arrogance in Shrewsberry, Molly said. —

The Indianapolis Star, 2 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'arrogance.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English arrogaunce, errogaunce, borrowed from Anglo-French & Latin; Anglo-French arrogance, arrogaunce, borrowed from Latin arrogantia, noun derivative of arrogant-, arrogans "insolent, overbearing, arrogant"

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of arrogance was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century