as in arrogance
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
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 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
-
Money and jealousy are the root of the play’s evils, with more deadly sins released in a world of posh, uppity arrogance.—
David John Chávez,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2026
-
In a study with 355 participants, the authors narrowed their list to 16 warning signs that predicted violence that occurred within six months — many of them having to do with entitlement, arrogance, control and emotional immaturity.—
Kristen Rogers,
CNN Money,
21 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
One thing to keep in mind is that the bathrooms are open-concept, flowing into the bedroom and living area with no door separating the sink/vanity.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Mar. 2026
-
Clavicular is like a blend of Dorian Gray and Patrick Bateman, those fictional creations of gay authors out to probe the sinister side of male vanity.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
27 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
-
Investors' complacency in the face of steep downside risks has more strategists turning bearish on the stock market.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
27 Mar. 2026
-
To Reitzes, the preponderance of buy ratings on the stock reflects complacency on the part of his Wall Street rivals.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 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
-
Their attitude, their smugness was palpable.—
Kels Dayton,
Hartford Courant,
21 Mar. 2026
-
Just as in real life when a too-good singer gets the mic at karaoke, the scene has a certain smugness.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
20 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-aggrandizement.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-aggrandizement. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
