as in arrogant
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Recent Examples of self-aggrandizing
The company director, representing a self-aggrandizing political blowhard, is humiliatingly sidelined, and the workers have a grand time.
—
Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Of course, Epstein was a self-aggrandizing criminal.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2025
This debut wasn’t a self-aggrandizing spectacle.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025
Not for the praise, not for self-aggrandizing satisfaction of a dish made perfectly.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
For the past few months, Newsom tapped his social media team to impersonate Trump online, typing in all caps, making self-aggrandizing claims (more than normal, that is), and being generally combative.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Newsom’s social media efforts this month have mimicked Trump’s all caps, self-aggrandizing posts, in a way that has vexed some of the president’s allies and drawn attention across media platforms.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2025
Today's self-aggrandizing report is little more than an industry wishlist masked as government policy.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 30 July 2025
Arnett’s narration is conversational but authoritative, proud but not self-aggrandizing.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 12 May 2025
Andrew Fedorov, The Atlantic, 31 Dec. 2025
Of course, Epstein was a self-aggrandizing criminal.
—Michelle Goldberg, Mercury News, 15 Nov. 2025
This debut wasn’t a self-aggrandizing spectacle.
—David Lyman, Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 Oct. 2025
Not for the praise, not for self-aggrandizing satisfaction of a dish made perfectly.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 15 Sep. 2025
For the past few months, Newsom tapped his social media team to impersonate Trump online, typing in all caps, making self-aggrandizing claims (more than normal, that is), and being generally combative.
—Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 6 Sep. 2025
Newsom’s social media efforts this month have mimicked Trump’s all caps, self-aggrandizing posts, in a way that has vexed some of the president’s allies and drawn attention across media platforms.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 26 Aug. 2025
Today's self-aggrandizing report is little more than an industry wishlist masked as government policy.
—Lucien Bruggeman, ABC News, 30 July 2025
Arnett’s narration is conversational but authoritative, proud but not self-aggrandizing.
—Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 12 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-aggrandizing
Adjective
-
A lot of people who are that level of arrogant, there’s also an immense insecurity, right?—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
The boy is arrogant, Helen thinks.—
Sadia Shepard,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The attention to amusing detail is evident throughout, from the vainglorious mayor’s ample display of chest fur to the very long wintry outfit Gary De’Snake wears in snowy conditions.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Nov. 2025
-
All but the most vainglorious architects imagine that their buildings will change in some small way after completion.—
Anthony Paletta,
Curbed,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Other performances, like Lowden’s egotistical failson and Fearn’s twitchy brother, come off too broadly even for Brooks’s stylized tone.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
-
The man started saying that Sliwa was being egotistical.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
And it could be accelerated by the continued rise of angry, resentful, self-glorifying nationalism in many countries.—
Michael J. Mazarr,
Foreign Affairs,
6 May 2022
Adjective
-
The characters were mostly comic, from shamelessly self-promoting wannabe pop star Scheana Shay to vain rock frontman Tom Sandoval.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
4 Dec. 2025
-
Against all odds, two narcissistic, self-promoting people can talk to each other and really can get curious and vulnerable and connect.—
Mikey O'Connell,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The Pitt definitely feels like the type of workplace where conceited doctors-in-training are pretty much guaranteed to quickly get knocked down a peg.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The day after Politico reported that Scott Bessent had threatened to punch a bumptious housing official in the face, the secretary of the Treasury addressed Republican luminaries gathered to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Laffer curve under the big chandelier in his department’s Cash Room.—
Ben Smith,
semafor.com,
8 Dec. 2025
-
Like the opera, the film blends these disparate moods and tones at a whirlwind tempo: slapstick comedy and poignant melodrama, graceful lyricism and bumptious braggadocio, witty satire and bitter tragedy.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
30 July 2025
Adjective
-
But that poem is no smug cliché.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Marcello is looking especially smug and evil in this scene for reasons unclear.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-aggrandizing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-aggrandizing. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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