1
as in arrogance
an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims
the boxer's flamboyant self-importance often made for a colorful prefight press conference
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
her overbearing self-importance has given her a sense of entitlement
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of self-importance
In Roman Catholic traditions, some theologians consider pride — or the idea of unchecked self-importance or arrogance — the original and most serious sin.
—
Juliana Kim, NPR, 28 May 2025
This is a marvelous role for Skarsgard, who gets to play up Gustav’s self-importance and lack of accountability along with his flirtatious charm as the movie progresses.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Reckoning commits is buying into its own self-importance.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 May 2025
Stepping away from self-importance and vanity could be challenging, so solidifying friendships and partnerships is the best way to handle the New Moon.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 24 Apr. 2025
People high on grandiose narcissism exhibit an inflated sense of superiority or self-importance, a lack of empathy, overconfidence, and entitlement.
—Joy Emeh, Health, 9 Sep. 2024
The thought was that to meet something with a laugh was the same thing as defanging it, a fearful humor inflated with American self-importance.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The story is a grim reminder that every narcissist needs their own Echo, a loyal admirer who reinforces their delusions and self-importance.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Pritzker and his staff’s ambitions for higher office have contributed to self-importance and a hypersensitivity to criticism, some sources have said.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
Juliana Kim, NPR, 28 May 2025
This is a marvelous role for Skarsgard, who gets to play up Gustav’s self-importance and lack of accountability along with his flirtatious charm as the movie progresses.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025
Reckoning commits is buying into its own self-importance.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 14 May 2025
Stepping away from self-importance and vanity could be challenging, so solidifying friendships and partnerships is the best way to handle the New Moon.
—Lisa Stardust, Refinery29, 24 Apr. 2025
People high on grandiose narcissism exhibit an inflated sense of superiority or self-importance, a lack of empathy, overconfidence, and entitlement.
—Joy Emeh, Health, 9 Sep. 2024
The thought was that to meet something with a laugh was the same thing as defanging it, a fearful humor inflated with American self-importance.
—Lauren Michele Jackson, The New Yorker, 27 Feb. 2025
The story is a grim reminder that every narcissist needs their own Echo, a loyal admirer who reinforces their delusions and self-importance.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 20 Feb. 2025
Pritzker and his staff’s ambitions for higher office have contributed to self-importance and a hypersensitivity to criticism, some sources have said.
—Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 9 Feb. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-importance
Noun
-
Opinion: America was gaslit by the arrogance of Joe Biden and his enablers.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
25 May 2025
-
The arrogance of the IRS should shock the conscience of all Americans.—
Chuck Flint,
Boston Herald,
21 May 2025
Noun
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Fueled by new data and shifting cultural values, injectables are being redefined—not as vanity, but as a personalized pathway to confidence, wellness, and long-term care.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
-
In a hot pink colorway, the clutch will become your vanity’s newest conversation piece.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
22 May 2025
Noun
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The formal presentation took place in the same battle-scarred stadium, Berlin’s Olympiastadion, where Adolf Hitler watched Owens, the Black American athlete, win four gold medals in the 1936 Games, dealing a blow to Hitler’s notions of racial superiority.—
Ciarán Fahey,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
-
Imagine a future Supreme Court case challenging church-state separation, with Christians vying against Christians for superiority.—
Emmett Coyne,
The Hill,
23 May 2025
Noun
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Just observationally, there seemed to be a very high crossover between those of you with the inflated ego to list 16 teams and those of you who thought Dallas was going to lose to Colorado.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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The result is an entirely incoherent crime thriller that features gangsters prattling on about the self and the ego and the soul and then occasionally wandering into an entirely different scene where other gangsters are prattling on about the same thing.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
27 May 2025
Noun
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South Africa’s Economic Freedom Fighters party defended its inflammatory leader against President Donald Trump’s criticisms over calls for violence against white people, taking it as a sign of pride.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
22 May 2025
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From faculty and alumni to area businesses, the expressions of pride in Harvard’s stance for academic freedom are effusive.—
Jacob Posner,
Christian Science Monitor,
22 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-importance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-importance. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
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