Definition of ARROGANT

Examples of arrogant in a Sentence

Tim Blixseth, the founder of the Yellowstone Club and other gated hideaways, tells Frank: “I don't like most rich people. They can be arrogant.” This from a man who owns two Shih Tzus named Learjet and G2. —Alex Beam, New York Times Book Review, 10 June 2007
Arrogant execs are not the only targets of investors' ire. … There's no telling how much money analysts such as Meeker cost investors with their interminable buy recommendations on Internet stocks that eventually went bust. —Marcia Vickers et al., Business Week, 25 Feb. 2002
Despite her social and business status in Washington, Graham remained unassuming and down to earth. Her quiet but steady courage affirmed women such as Geneva Overhosler, a former editor and Post ombudsman, by showing a woman could be powerful without being arrogant. —Mark Fitzgerald et al., Editor & Publisher, 23 July 2001
Shakespeare must have known that while his audiences loved to see villains punished and arrogant young men humbled, they did not want to fidget and squirm through mea culpas before the final scene. —Elaine Showalter, Civilization, April/May 1999
She's first in her class, but she's not arrogant about it.
the arrogant young lawyer elbowed his way to the head of the line of customers, declaring that he was too busy to wait like everybody else

Recent Examples of arrogant from the Web

Commenters on social media mocked the governor as selfish and arrogant and cracked jokes about the sight of the heavyset Christie in a beach chair in sandals, shorts and a T-shirt.

— CBS News, "Chris Christie defends going to closed beach during government shutdown", 3 July 2017
Mohammed bin Salman will soon inherit one of the world's toughest jobs, one in which only an arrogant, ambitious man with an audacious plan is likely to succeed.

— ian bremmer, Time, "The Startling Rise of the Brash Young Man Who Would Be King of Saudi Arabia", 29 June 2017
Except the person who is youthfully arrogant or naive or innocent.

— denise coffey, Courant Community, "Sibling Rivalry Handled With Truth, Humor And Brilliance", 29 June 2017
From Chile to Italy, from Sweden to Japan, majorities consider the president arrogant, intolerant, unqualified and dangerous.

— Alaska Dispatch News, "World’s regard for U.S. falls under Trump, poll finds", 27 June 2017
In terms of personal traits, more than half see the U.S. president as a strong leader, but that positive view is outweighed by larger majorities who describe the real estate developer and former reality TV star as arrogant, intolerant or dangerous.

— Bloomberg.com, "Poll Suggests Scant Global Confidence in Trump on Foreign Affairs", 27 June 2017
VanLoh’s approach is now widely seen as tone-deaf and arrogant; James recently said that the Aviation Department’s original single terminal talk was clumsy.

— steve vockrodt and lynn horsley, kansascity, "‘Original sins’: Early errors erode KCI project perception, progress as deadlines loom", 25 June 2017
This relationship is perhaps too much at the forefront of Simon Burke's script, but Courtney, playing an arrogant young officer with increasing doubts over his service, shows a greater depth here than the action star has previously.

— jake coyle, chicagotribune.com, "'The Exception' review: Christopher Plummer steals the show as emperor/king in WWII story", 22 June 2017
This relationship is perhaps too much at the forefront of Simon Burke’s script, but Courtney, playing an arrogant young officer with increasing doubts about his service, shows a greater depth here than the action star has previously.

— jake coyle, kansascity, "In ‘The Exception,’ Christopher Plummer is a lion in Nazi Germany winter", 22 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'arrogant'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of arrogant

Middle English, from Latin arrogant-, arrogans, present participle of arrogare —see arrogate

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First Known Use: 14th century

See Words from the same year

arrogant Synonyms

Synonym Discussion of arrogant

proud, arrogant, haughty, lordly, insolent, overbearing, supercilious, disdainful mean showing scorn for inferiors. proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness. too proud to take charity arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted. a conceited and arrogant executive haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position. a haughty aristocrat lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power. a lordly condescension insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness. ignored by an insolent waiter overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence. an overbearing supervisor supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness. an aloof and supercilious manner disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness. disdainful of their social inferiors

arrogant