as in cavalier
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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an arrogant attitude
a pompous attitude
a smug attitude
an overconfident attitude
a snobbish attitude
a conceited attitude
arrogant people
cocky people
egotistical people
pompous people
conceited people
an arrogant assumption
an audacious assumption
a pompous assumption
a presumptuous assumption
an overconfident assumption
a boastful assumption

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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of arrogant The targets of Trump’s economic aggression will accept greater hardship to preserve their dignity than American voters will for the privilege of acting like arrogant menaces. David Frum, The Atlantic, 29 Apr. 2025 This feud carries on today, with Hogan having called out Hart for being too arrogant. David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Apr. 2025 On Grey’s Anatomy, Jackson will play a handsome, intelligent, but arrogant man in his late 20s who has just moved to Seattle. Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 1 Apr. 2025 That doesn’t portray a hero, but rather someone so arrogant as to invent his own law and appoint himself its executioner. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for arrogant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogant
Adjective
  • The experiences suggest why policymakers might not be so cavalier going forward about refinery closures and other manufacturing closures.
    Michael Bernick, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
  • Mainstream outlets shouldn’t be so cavalier about maintaining their credibility.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 30 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The list is ranked alphabetically, so Tigers and Jayhawks won’t be able to fight over the superior college town this time.
    Joseph Hernandez, Kansas City Star, 14 May 2025
  • The result is not only a potential pathway to carbon neutrality but also a cleaner-burning fuel that has already demonstrated superior visible emissions in tests.
    Afdhel Aziz, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • The trial had revealed Blue Cross’ domineering behavior.
    T. Christian Miller, ProPublica, 12 Apr. 2025
  • As mild-mannered schoolteacher Mr. Lisbon, James Woods plays a quiet counterpoint to his domineering wife.
    Sezin Devi Koehler, EW.com, 21 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s another important component of the foreclosures First Street tracked: areas where home prices are rising tend to avoid falling into distress.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 20 May 2025
  • It’s used to empower creativity with respect to craft and to talent, which is extremely important in this industry.
    Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • And with more ad dollars moving to streaming and digital — arenas in which the TV networks are less dominant — the networks seem weaker, particularly as Amazon and Netflix join them as part of the upfront calendar.
    Brian Steinberg, Variety, 11 May 2025
  • Like every successful side in these early years of the World Cup, Uruguay 1950 had an outstanding centre-half in Varela, who was physically dominant and also a key attacking weapon.
    Michael Cox, New York Times, 11 May 2025
Adjective
  • The show perpetuates corporate media’s retaliation against those who oppose its leftist, Marxist, Communist, socialist agenda — the ideological myth favored by superficial and supercilious showbiz types ever since All the President’s Men and Network.
    Armond White, National Review, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Arthur is … a lot too, but with a supercilious edge?
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • When indifferent and haughty stylist Magno Stift falls ill ahead of the tributes’ big pre-games interview, a young Effie swoops in as makeshift stylist, bringing in clothes that belonged to her great-aunt and great-uncle.
    Jessica Wang, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2025
  • As the daughter of the haughty Chodron de Courcel and Brondeau d’Urtières families, Bernadette never lacks confidence.
    Armond White, National Review, 23 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • To his critics, Jost’s smug humor felt noticeably anachronistic at a time when the #MeToo and Black Lives Matter movements were calling for a greater awareness of society’s deep inequalities, and for ostensibly liberal institutions to do better.
    Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 17 May 2025
  • The series has been characterized by smug antics in defeat.
    Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Arrogant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogant. Accessed 24 May. 2025.

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