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
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
Despite the relentless pre-match hype montages, intermittent deluges of FIFA self-congratulation and the blasting of Robbie Williams’ hilariously self-parodic tournament theme song at half-time.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 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
At what should be a moment of self-congratulation, however, the foundation, which gives away $9 billion each year, is facing grave threats to both its work and its future.
—Theodore Schleifer, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
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
Despite the relentless pre-match hype montages, intermittent deluges of FIFA self-congratulation and the blasting of Robbie Williams’ hilariously self-parodic tournament theme song at half-time.
—Liam Twomey, New York Times, 17 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
At what should be a moment of self-congratulation, however, the foundation, which gives away $9 billion each year, is facing grave threats to both its work and its future.
—Theodore Schleifer, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-congratulation
Noun
-
Those looking for more novelty to tote around this fall might enjoy the vanity cases and tidy little boxes from Hermès and Victoria Beckham.—
Madeline Fass,
Vogue,
6 Aug. 2025
-
Upstairs, the primary suite offers a tray ceiling, two walk-in closets, and a spa-like bathroom with a double vanity, a seamless glass shower, and a two-person Jacuzzi tub.—
Brendel Clark,
Freep.com,
31 July 2025
Noun
-
Self-serving bias is built-in to protect your ego unfairly.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
8 Aug. 2025
-
Put that duck-slayer ego to the side and don’t be afraid to ask a few questions about conditions and hazards.—
Alex Robinson,
Outdoor Life,
6 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Long-time spots thanked their customers and strode into the sunset with more than a little pride, knowing that 10 years or more is an eternity in restaurant terms.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
15 Aug. 2025
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Exceptional Restaurants from Culinary Icons Peerless gastronomy is a cornerstone of Italian culture–a perennial point of pride that Forte Village champions with one of the most dynamic and diverse culinary landscapes in luxury hospitality.—
Alexandra Kirkman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The failure to heed early warnings from experts like Makary and Bhattacharya—now in positions to reshape federal health policy—underscores the arrogance of it all.—
Houman Hemmati,
Oc Register,
20 July 2025
-
One of the habits of being trustworthy is being humble, so when assertiveness tips into arrogance this is a red flag for potential clients.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Weapons wants nothing more than to jolt you out of a sense of complacency — to remind you that manipulative forces exist, and not even basic explanations can wash away the concept of chaos hovering just outside of the frame.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
6 Aug. 2025
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Secretary Kennedy has demanded accountability across HHS, and President Trump has shown unwavering commitment to ending complacency in systems that cost lives.—
Thomas Engels,
CNN Money,
3 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-congratulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-congratulation. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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