as in arrogance
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Recent Examples of self-aggrandizement
Trying to follow his energy, his whims, his insults and his self-aggrandizement practically requires a seatbelt to watch.
—
Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Such self-aggrandizement has never been an attractive side of Trump—again, even for many of his supporters.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Long trolling Trump in what many view as the lead-up to a 2028 White House bid by the two-term Democrat, Newsom’s missive comes in all caps and with the over-the-top self-aggrandizement that is common to POTUS himself — which is often the point.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2026
Taking over a large country ought to be done with circumspection and consensus, not the self-aggrandizement and demagoguery of a massive personality disorder.
—John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Coach has never been one to miss an opportunity for self-aggrandizement, and this quote effectively characterizes his three previous Survivor appearances not as failures but as bold attempts to tame a raging sea.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
No World Cup has been less about the self-aggrandizement of the hosts and yet no World Cup has ever been so overtly political as the 1938 tournament.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
With or without self-aggrandizement, a kind of precedent was established.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Feb. 2026
Such self-aggrandizement has never been an attractive side of Trump—again, even for many of his supporters.
—Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 8 Feb. 2026
Long trolling Trump in what many view as the lead-up to a 2028 White House bid by the two-term Democrat, Newsom’s missive comes in all caps and with the over-the-top self-aggrandizement that is common to POTUS himself — which is often the point.
—Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 Feb. 2026
Taking over a large country ought to be done with circumspection and consensus, not the self-aggrandizement and demagoguery of a massive personality disorder.
—John Brummett, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
Coach has never been one to miss an opportunity for self-aggrandizement, and this quote effectively characterizes his three previous Survivor appearances not as failures but as bold attempts to tame a raging sea.
—Joe Reid, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2025
No World Cup has been less about the self-aggrandizement of the hosts and yet no World Cup has ever been so overtly political as the 1938 tournament.
—Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
With or without self-aggrandizement, a kind of precedent was established.
—Robert Goulder, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-aggrandizement
Noun
-
Too few compliments make kids feel slighted, while too many can inspire arrogance.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Adam McKay’s toxically smug dissection of Dick Cheney fails to take the full measure of this monstrous vice-president, but even so, Bale taps into something elemental about the man’s arrogance and domineering personality.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Open the door to the Chamber, and you're faced with a sink, a vanity, two wardrobes, and two frosted-glass doors, behind which are a shower and a toilet.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
-
But gone are the days when an effective routine also meant a cluttered bathroom vanity full of products—instead of needing multiple serums, sunscreens, and moisturizers to target different results, the latest products combine SPF and anti-aging effects all in one.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Play Now Toni’s blasé egotism is mostly consistent across a film filled with conspiracy, backstabbing, and political fallout.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
26 Jan. 2026
-
By incorporating a character unable to do anything but cry and coo, the show only highlights its disinterest in more nuanced examinations of human behavior, such as greed or egotism.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
27 June 2025
Noun
-
On Saturday, on the streets of Washington, Donald Trump will throw himself a costly and ostentatious military parade, a gaudy display of waste and vainglory staged solely to inflate the president’s dirigible-sized ego.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2025
-
The conceit is saved from vainglory by the gravity Cage brings to the performance.—
Isaac Butler,
The New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2023
Noun
-
My disappointment in Vigil came down to the waste of a perfect setup for exhibiting the worldly redemption of art—that is, its power to redeem us from insensitivity and self-satisfaction.—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
-
There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
If everybody’s getting better, then there’s no complacency or anything like that.—
Mike Kaye
March 3,
Charlotte Observer,
3 Mar. 2026
-
The rituals of remembrance are meant to disturb our complacency.—
Jack Hill,
Baltimore Sun,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
At the same time, the song channeled the slightly uncomfortable fusion of selflessness and self-glorification that pop and rock ‘n’ roll stars inevitably projected during the charity-rock-event ’80s.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2024
-
Writing about other peoples has long been in service of self-glorification.—
Manvir Singh,
The New Yorker,
25 Dec. 2023
Noun
-
The smugness is thicker than split pea.—
Josh Brown,Sean Russo,
CNBC,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Where Spider masked his incompetence with bravado and abrasiveness, Claude put up a thin layer of smugness that collapsed when faced with even a tiny amount of resistance.—
Brian Grubb,
Vulture,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-aggrandizement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-aggrandizement. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.
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