as in arrogance
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Recent Examples of cockiness
Speed is not overrated, confidence is required and cockiness is usually welcome.
—
Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The great thing is society already embraces cockiness—just not from women.
—Samyra, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
While the critics howled during that 1-15 season in 1989, Johnson and even his assistants maintained their cockiness and mocked the criticism.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
Somehow, though, Chalamet has skirted major repercussions for his cockiness.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
Most of the Teds depicted are young—discovering the look, and discovering themselves, in the full flush of masculine cockiness.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
What everybody loves about Ortegas is that can do mentality and also that cockiness.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
The film has that Scott-ian sleekness (but is really directed by Swedish filmmaker Daniel Espinosa in his Hollywood debut), and Washington rules with his super-chill cockiness.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Nick Baumgardner, New York Times, 17 Jan. 2026
The great thing is society already embraces cockiness—just not from women.
—Samyra, SELF, 14 Jan. 2026
While the critics howled during that 1-15 season in 1989, Johnson and even his assistants maintained their cockiness and mocked the criticism.
—Tim Cowlishaw, Dallas Morning News, 12 Jan. 2026
Somehow, though, Chalamet has skirted major repercussions for his cockiness.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Dec. 2025
Most of the Teds depicted are young—discovering the look, and discovering themselves, in the full flush of masculine cockiness.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Dec. 2025
What everybody loves about Ortegas is that can do mentality and also that cockiness.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
The film has that Scott-ian sleekness (but is really directed by Swedish filmmaker Daniel Espinosa in his Hollywood debut), and Washington rules with his super-chill cockiness.
—Tim Grierson, Vulture, 15 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cockiness
Noun
-
Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach take turns transforming into floating marketplaces — docks converted to catwalks, hulls polished to reflective arrogance, sales reps who can quote fuel burn like yacht owners care about costs.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
-
College football is awash in problems, including the Big Ten’s unrivaled arrogance, and its never-ending list of demands that would make Notre Dame blush.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
This Full Moon is about faith, but the shadow is overconfidence or assuming everything will work out without effort.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Concerns about his height (6-foot-1-inch), regression in 2025 and arm overconfidence are valid.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Having built multibillion-dollar companies, often at a young age, their self-confidence frequently leads them to underestimate the complexities of public policy, to misunderstand public opinion, and to overestimate their ability to push large changes through quickly.—
Walter Russell Mead,
The Atlantic,
24 Jan. 2026
-
For fledgling photographer Kristian Pederson, the antidote to this schism is a cosmic dose—a Faustian dose—of self-confidence.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
And those classic moments of self-assurance are ending with more buckets than ever.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
16 Jan. 2026
-
Such self-assurance brings nagging blind spots.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
In recent years, Ye’s irreverence and brashness shifted into something darker and far more dangerous.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Given his father’s reputation for brashness, many people told me they were surprised by how nice David is.—
Reeves Wiedeman,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many CEOs assume that once a capable CFO is in place, financial confidence will follow.—
Melissa Houston,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Now the public appears to have lost confidence in Noem.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Chicago and Illinois, unfortunately, have been unable to offer such assurances.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
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But probabilities are less sexy than proclamations, ambiguities less attractive than assurances—or so the rising number of storm-hyping accounts on social media seem to suggest.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cockiness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cockiness. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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