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
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
Some progress is being made, and ongoing self-congratulations are occurring.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
All that and a certain culture of self-congratulation at Choose Chicago and a bit of Midwestern myopia, too.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
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
Some progress is being made, and ongoing self-congratulations are occurring.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 4 May 2025
All that and a certain culture of self-congratulation at Choose Chicago and a bit of Midwestern myopia, too.
—The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-congratulation
Noun
-
The result is an almost weary vanity, in which the author plays himself as if under duress, simultaneously flourishing and folding up the self.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025
-
Its offerings—face oils, supplements, vitamin treatments, and serums—reflect a holistic approach to skincare, treating the skin as an organ and prioritizing health over vanity.—
Ian Malone,
Vogue,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Such braggadocio is just more evidence of a narcissistic ego.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 July 2025
-
True allyship requires checking one's ego at the door, prioritizing what's right over being right, and humbly learning from others.—
Julie Kratz,
Forbes.com,
13 July 2025
Noun
-
But much to the couple’s pride and relief, the crash didn’t pull the family apart.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
-
By highlighting the connections of these subjects to Black innovation and labor, Drakeford, alongside her expert peers, encourages Black diasporic people to find pride and power in the material goods that sustain the global economy.—
Cierra Black,
Essence,
9 July 2025
Noun
-
Putin’s arrogance in wanting total Ukrainian surrender could prove his downfall, if only Trump sticks to his position.—
Daniel Fried,
Time,
15 July 2025
-
The arrogance wasn’t hers alone; many people have tried to assign the Tully monster a place in the tree of life since it was first discovered 70 years ago.—
Cody Cottier,
Discover Magazine,
8 July 2025
Noun
-
One week later, serious questions remain about what actions local leaders took after ominous warnings from the National Weather Service, echoing other recent high-profile natural disasters marked by accusations of government complacency.—
Josh Campbell,
CNN Money,
12 July 2025
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Some choose complacency — seduced by comfort and the illusion that someone else will do the hard work of changing things.—
F. Willis Johnson,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-congratulation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-congratulation. Accessed 22 Jul. 2025.
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