SELF-CONGRATULATORY Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

self-congratulatory

adjective

as in self-assured

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of self-congratulatory Far too modest and deeply felt to come off as self-congratulatory, Ataei and Keshavarz’s film tells the story of two women — an avant-garde theater director and an improvisational dancer — whose friendship is as unbothered by the government as their work is defined by it. — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 28 Jan. 2026 Her enthusiasm for connection and her earnest (but never self-congratulatory) search for truth seem to seep into the foundations of the novel, which is ultimately a hopeful tale of family transformation. — Hannah Gold, New Yorker, 21 Jan. 2026 The World Economic Forum has become a cloistered and self-congratulatory body out of touch with economic realities, its new leader, BlackRock CEO Larry Fink said on the opening evening of the 2026 conference. — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 19 Jan. 2026 Don’t be swayed by the self-congratulatory rhetoric. — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 9 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-congratulatory

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-congratulatory

Adjective

But what was missing was more of a winning spirit, more aggressive, uninhibited and self-assured.

— Max Mathews, New York Times, 9 June 2026
Time gave us the late-career brilliance of filmmakers like Jane Campion, Agnès Varda, Claire Denis, and Kathryn Bigelow, whose work became richer, fiercer, and more self-assured because these women had lived and learned so much.

— Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 31 May 2026

Definition of self-assured

Adjective

That next step could be booking a demo, applying for a job, completing a training, sharing the message internally or feeling more confident in the company.

— Tavares Beverly, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Of course, France is also looking incredibly strong as well, but the Spanish players are feeling confident.

— Ben Church, CNN Money, 10 July 2026

Definition of confident

Adjective

Unlike Reborn Rich, Reborn Rookie is a comedy, finding a fair amount of fun in the story of a CEO who accidentally swaps bodies with a young soccer player, and uses the opportunity to get revenge on his selfish children.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 July 2026
Across 15 tracks, the rapper and producer get to work making their first proper body of work together as memorable as expected, delving into relationship mishaps, selfish tendencies, and the absurdist comedy that is real life.

— Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 25 June 2026

Definition of selfish

Adjective

This approach fosters genuine respect, trust, and loyalty, offering a powerful alternative to today's loud, self-promoting culture.

— Luis E. Romero, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
Critics call social media posts self-promotion While the president praised her as a fighter, critics called out her self-promoting social media use, including videos showing her in tactical gear at raids with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents.

— Luke Barr, ABC News, 5 Mar. 2026

Definition of self-promoting

Browse Nearby Words

self-congratulation

self-congratulatory

self-conscious

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Self-congratulatory.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-congratulatory. Accessed 11 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of self-congratulatory

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

xeric

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes