Synonyms of arrogant

arrogant

adjective

ˈer-ə-gənt 

as in cocky

having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• cocky
• pompous
• superior
• important
• supercilious
• haughty
• smug
• bumptious
• high-and-mighty
• pretentious
• uppity
• authoritarian
• presumptuous
• assumptive
• high-handed
• imperious
• dominating
• sniffy
• presuming
• uppish
• patronizing
• huffy
• chesty
• proud
• self-assertive
• boastful
• high-hat
• condescending
• overweening
• cavalier
• lordly
• peremptory
• huffish
• bossy
• impudent
• stiff-necked
• highfalutin
• snobbish
• lofty
• toplofty
• domineering
• conceited
• self-asserting
• disdainful
• snobby
• vain
• snooty
• egocentric
• dominant
• narcissistic
• vainglorious
• pontifical
• hubristic
• bombastic
• saucy
• egotistic
• prideful
• magisterial
• swaggering
• masterful
• impertinent
• blusterous
• egoistic
• complacent
• self-centered
• blustery
• pontificating
• uninhibited
• stuck-up
• self-conceited
• braggart
• braggy
• bragging
• self-satisfied
• immodest
• brash
• extroverted
• self-complacent
• self-promoting
• self-flattering
• self-loving
• unreserved
• self-pleased
• self-affected
• self-applauding
• orgulous
• forward

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• humble
• modest
• lowly
• timid
• unpretentious
• bashful
• shy
• sheepish
• diffident
• passive
• subdued
• introverted
• meek
• demure
• deferential
• mousy
• submissive
• shrinking
• unassuming
• unassertive
• compliant
• unarrogant
• acquiescent
• unobtrusive
• unaggressive
• quiet
• self-critical
• self-doubting
• yielding
• cringing
• cowering
• overmodest
• reserved
• retiring

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective arrogant differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of arrogant are disdainful, haughty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

When is disdainful a more appropriate choice than arrogant?

The synonyms disdainful and arrogant are sometimes interchangeable, but disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

When would haughty be a good substitute for arrogant?

The words haughty and arrogant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

When might insolent be a better fit than arrogant?

The words insolent and arrogant can be used in similar contexts, but insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When could lordly be used to replace arrogant?

The meanings of lordly and arrogant largely overlap; however, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

Where would overbearing be a reasonable alternative to arrogant?

While the synonyms overbearing and arrogant are close in meaning, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When can proud be used instead of arrogant?

In some situations, the words proud and arrogant are roughly equivalent. However, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

When is it sensible to use supercilious instead of arrogant?

While in some cases nearly identical to arrogant, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of arrogant

In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience. —David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 25 Jan. 2026

Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius. —Richard Edwards, Space.com, 18 Jan. 2026

That doesn’t seem to matter to the DeSantis administration, where arrogant stonewalling is standard operating policy. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026

The dedicated members of the Broward School Board should stand up to this arrogant bully with all available resources. —Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 16 Jan. 2026