as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a self-important businessman who believed his schedule mattered more than anyone else's
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-important
The effort was pointless and self-important and never once determined the Legislature could promote happiness by lowering the cost of living and staying out of people’s lives.
—
Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
Jamie Demetriou, best known for his memorable performances in Fleabag and Stath Lets Flats, has been cast as the pompous and self-important distant relative who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
This splendid, wry satire is about a wealthy family, self-important and confident in their morality, whose blithe and bumptious existences are thrown into disarray when their father clandestinely decides to give all their money to charity, and so (in their opinions) completely destroys their lives.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
It was being painted as an out-of-touch, arcane, and self-important social institution from a bygone era, and was doing very little to dispel that characterization.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-important
Matt Fleming, Oc Register, 11 Aug. 2025
Jamie Demetriou, best known for his memorable performances in Fleabag and Stath Lets Flats, has been cast as the pompous and self-important distant relative who intends to marry one of the Bennet girls.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 30 July 2025
This splendid, wry satire is about a wealthy family, self-important and confident in their morality, whose blithe and bumptious existences are thrown into disarray when their father clandestinely decides to give all their money to charity, and so (in their opinions) completely destroys their lives.
—Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025
It was being painted as an out-of-touch, arcane, and self-important social institution from a bygone era, and was doing very little to dispel that characterization.
—David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for self-important
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-important
Adjective
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As a sleazy, lecherous publicist pinned in a Manhattan phone booth by a faceless sniper on the other end of the line, Farrell goes from smug condescension to breathless victimhood pretty effortlessly.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
30 Oct. 2025
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But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This version of Ryan was arrogant, unable to conceal pride in his accomplishment.—
Jamie Thompson,
The Atlantic,
6 Nov. 2025
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So long as that situation continues, the 43-year-old’s allegedly arrogant and stand-offish treatment of his players will not worry the club hierarchy too much.—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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There are certainly some top-notch barbecue restaurants that made the cut, but the Michelin selection barely scratches the surface of the South’s long, proud barbecue tradition.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
5 Nov. 2025
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What’s left now is a proud elite program trying to scrape its way into bowl season.—
D’Joumbarey Moreau,
Miami Herald,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Your granddaughters will love in vain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
4 Nov. 2025
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Yet the efforts so far have been in vain.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
29 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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All but the most vainglorious architects imagine that their buildings will change in some small way after completion.—
Anthony Paletta,
Curbed,
2 Sep. 2025
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The real real thing tended to be rather different: clumsy, ad hoc, vainglorious—and secret.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harpers Magazine,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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The kooky characters surrounding Judge Stone included the conceited prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), the imposing bailiff Bull Shannon (Richard Moll), and the idealistic public defender Christine Sullivan (Markie Post), each of whom had various quirks of their own.—
Dan Heching,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-important.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-important. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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