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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of self-congratulation
Anima's version involves more effort and less self-congratulation.
—
Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, the self-congratulation of white liberals has been displaced by white-supremacist promoters of Western civilization who don’t merely posit but brutally enforce inequality between races, peoples, cultures, and nation-states.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Being vocally left-leaning thus provides social status benefits and forms of self-congratulation that being conservative doesn't (if anything, in terms of the broader culture and the opinion-formulating institutions, conservatism tends to be rather lonely and something of a social liability).
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
There’s a note of self-congratulation running through this work too — tricky to pinpoint because it comes swathed in both twee humility and real suffering.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2026
That is why this moment demands smarter policy choices, not self-congratulation.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Rutte told attendees that the move wasn’t a moment for self-congratulations as Russia continues its large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
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
Daniel Scheffler, Forbes.com, 31 Mar. 2026
Today, the self-congratulation of white liberals has been displaced by white-supremacist promoters of Western civilization who don’t merely posit but brutally enforce inequality between races, peoples, cultures, and nation-states.
—Christine Smallwood, Harpers Magazine, 24 Mar. 2026
Being vocally left-leaning thus provides social status benefits and forms of self-congratulation that being conservative doesn't (if anything, in terms of the broader culture and the opinion-formulating institutions, conservatism tends to be rather lonely and something of a social liability).
—Bradley Gitz, Arkansas Online, 23 Mar. 2026
There’s a note of self-congratulation running through this work too — tricky to pinpoint because it comes swathed in both twee humility and real suffering.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 17 Mar. 2026
That is why this moment demands smarter policy choices, not self-congratulation.
—Editorial, Boston Herald, 12 Jan. 2026
Rutte told attendees that the move wasn’t a moment for self-congratulations as Russia continues its large-scale drone and missile attacks on Ukraine.
—Ashley Carnahan, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-congratulation
Noun
-
The primary bath is outfitted with marble flooring, Lefroy Brooks plumbing fixtures, Ann Sachs tile, dual vanities, a large soaking tub and a steam shower.—
Lauryn Azu,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Documents said the teenager told police that Ploor grabbed her, pushed her into a vanity, punched her in the chest, and pushed his elbow into her throat.—
Adam Thompson,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
If pride bristles, breathe and frame feedback as an invitation to make the work shine brighter than any ego.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
-
Through her precise storytelling, Hao offers a clarifying perspective amid the AI mania and lays bare the ravenous, profit-seeking egos driving it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Held at the East Cut, the annual event organized by Empire brought together Bay Area artists, vendors and residents in a showcase of community pride.—
Loureen Ayyoub,
CBS News,
16 Apr. 2026
-
If pride bristles, breathe and frame feedback as an invitation to make the work shine brighter than any ego.—
Tarot.com,
Hartford Courant,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While their energies differ, nearly all of them share the same basic drives (money, power, status) and the same fundamental flaws (greed, arrogance, selfishness).—
Angie Han,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Their defensive style can look like arrogance or hostility.—
Paul Sanchez Ruiz,
The Conversation,
6 Apr. 2026
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
Noun
-
The Austrian insisted that his team would be looking to win in Florence and there would be no complacency from his players despite their comfortable lead in the tie.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
15 Apr. 2026
-
This awareness prevents the complacency that precedes disaster.—
Brendan Keegan,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Self-congratulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-congratulation. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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