as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the air of self-congratulation that pervades the songwriter's memoirs
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Recent Examples of self-congratulation
But Putin will not be persuaded by bluster and self-congratulation alone.
—
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
But Carey also took the UBS Arena stage in New York for more than self-congratulations.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Judge, always wary of self-congratulation, downplayed his contributions.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Dismissed by some as an intellectual fad, EA, according to its founders, marked a serious and fundamental rethink of philanthropy, away from an exercise in black-tie self-congratulation and toward a rigorous quantitative science.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
In The Atlantic, the former sheriff of King County, Washington, Sue Rahr, explains how such self-congratulation obscures so many less palatable truths.
—Maris Kreizman, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
What bothers me more is the tone of self-congratulation that accompanies a project that has precious little to do with restorative justice.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 May 2025
The rollout comes with the usual self-congratulation.
—Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
No longer was the show building season-long plots around how megachurch culture has helped turn modern-day Christianity into a hotbed of self-congratulation and greed; that was now subtext.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2025
Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
But Carey also took the UBS Arena stage in New York for more than self-congratulations.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 8 Sep. 2025
Judge, always wary of self-congratulation, downplayed his contributions.
—Brendan Kuty, New York Times, 25 July 2025
Dismissed by some as an intellectual fad, EA, according to its founders, marked a serious and fundamental rethink of philanthropy, away from an exercise in black-tie self-congratulation and toward a rigorous quantitative science.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 24 July 2025
In The Atlantic, the former sheriff of King County, Washington, Sue Rahr, explains how such self-congratulation obscures so many less palatable truths.
—Maris Kreizman, Rolling Stone, 24 June 2025
What bothers me more is the tone of self-congratulation that accompanies a project that has precious little to do with restorative justice.
—Justin Davidson, Curbed, 30 May 2025
The rollout comes with the usual self-congratulation.
—Brandon Kochkodin, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
No longer was the show building season-long plots around how megachurch culture has helped turn modern-day Christianity into a hotbed of self-congratulation and greed; that was now subtext.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 5 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-congratulation
Noun
-
Even as the young man attempts to ignore the din of city life outside his window, his fear of losing his vanity is ultimately what disrupts his fantasies.—
Abby Monteil,
Them.,
15 Oct. 2025
-
While Lee road trips around Osage County, Betty Jo sits at the vanity, deciding whether to put on her wedding ring.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Prior to the game, Jenkins’ biggest issue was likely a bruised ego.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
15 Oct. 2025
-
Both investors emphasized Chavarria’s authenticity and lack of ego as key factors in their decision to back him.—
Ritu Upadhyay,
Footwear News,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The boutique hotel is named for the beloved adjunct professor and longtime Clemson mayor, the late Larry Abernathy, channeling his passion and pride for the university and city into the guest experience.—
Elizabeth Hutchison Hicklin,
Southern Living,
17 Oct. 2025
-
This admission seemed sad—critics are supposed to take pride in withstanding disagreement.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Professional arrogance, that is, that pushed Atkinson to exceed everybody’s expectations … except his own.—
Aaron Portzline,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
True to his overconfidence-bordering-on-arrogance nature, new intern Wes earlier in the episode did not follow instructions and attended to patients without permission.—
Nellie Andreeva,
Deadline,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Once again, Farley is wary of letting complacency creep in.—
Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson,
semafor.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The executives have chuckled at the team’s seeming complacency and incapacity for change, which culminated in a 43-119 record in 2025, a finish that put the club on par with the 2024 Chicago White Sox and 1962 New York Mets in terms of futility.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-congratulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-congratulation. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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