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

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Try This Instead

For
Try This
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 There is something dangerously, provocatively arrogant about his glorified gang leader looks. Timothy Crouse, Rolling Stone, 9 June 2025 The exiled poet was criticized for his arrogant attempts to influence British and American foreign policy. Graham Robb, The Atlantic, 9 June 2025 In the film, the line is meant to portray what Armstrong sees as the technology industry’s insular and even arrogant nature. Chris Perry, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025 Modi was helped by an overwhelming public perception that the Congress Party, which had been in power for most of the past half century, had grown arrogant and corrupt. Andrew Marantz, New Yorker, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for arrogant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogant
Adjective
  • Vance was similarly cavalier about the Administration’s noncompliance with court orders—and even about the fact that Abrego Garcia, convicted of no crime in the United States or El Salvador, has been imprisoned indefinitely.
    Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 25 May 2025
  • Meet my very good boys (pictured): Scooter is a nine-year-old cavapoo (cavalier King Charles spaniel and poodle mix).
    Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 May 2025
Adjective
  • The dining room’s massive plate glass windows look onto the busy Via del Tritone for superior people watching without the exhaust and noise of traffic.
    Katie Kelly Bell, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025
  • The first trailer for the game begins with a conversation between M, Bond’s classic superior and occasional foil, and Greenway, an original character described by IO Interactive’ website as a mentor figure (although no voice actors for the roles have been announced).
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 18 June 2025
Adjective
  • Despite his character's domineering presence, Morse told ScreenRant there's more than meets the eye.
    Allison DeGrushe Published, EW.com, 18 June 2025
  • It was then put to Tuchel that the show’s host Adrian Durham has friends who think England would be better off without Bellingham in the team, referring to that domineering personality.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Food production is by far the most important cause of biodiversity loss.
    Michael Albertus, Foreign Affairs, 24 June 2025
  • The Ability To Respond, Not React There are many important skills that top-notch leaders have in common, such as emotional intelligence, active listening, vision and so on.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
Adjective
  • The opening two days and five games of the Club World Cup have witnessed a 10-goal thumping, a dominant performance from Europe’s champions, struggles for the best from the U.S., passionate fans on the streets and reasonable attendances in the stadiums.
    James Horncastle, New York Times, 16 June 2025
  • Signet, dominant in bridal jewelry, sees greater potential in the larger fashion segment.
    Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 16 June 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
  • Napoleon, the pig who takes despotic control of the farm following the revolution — voiced with haughty gusto by Seth Rogen — bears an uncanny resemblance to the current occupant of the White House.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 11 June 2025
  • Back to all the reasonably expressed horror about Trump expressed in haughty fashion, why all the parallel quietude about the Federal Reserve?
    John Tamny, Forbes.com, 1 June 2025
Adjective
  • The smug and sanctimonious tenor of their briefing makes that plain.
    Christie D’Zurilla, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2025
  • In a comedic twist, the Labrador retriever was filmed turning back to his owner during the drive, with a smug look on his face as if to boast about his comfortable spot.
    Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Arrogant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogant. Accessed 30 Jun. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on arrogant

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!