as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
so many of the Web site's self-portraits give the impression of clueless self-satisfaction
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Recent Examples of self-satisfaction
After a precise drone and cruise missile successfully hit Saudi Arabia’s vital oil infrastructure in September 2019, Russia could hardly conceal its delight and self-satisfaction.
—
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
Just as there’s no dramatic build-up to Maria landing the part, there’s no romance to the process of acting it, nor the slightest whiff of self-satisfaction in recreating iconic scenes.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
Corporate leaders will be called upon to overcome self-satisfaction with progress made in the advancement of gender parity for women, especially those in senior and middle management.
—Michael Peregrine, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Megalopolis posits a world of clueless liberal self-satisfaction, missing every point of contemporary alertness to ongoing lawfare and sedition.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Oct. 2024
Nothing was off-limits in Mad, a newsstand stalwart that would reach peak annual sales in the 1970s of 2.5 million issues by delivering belly laughs and self-satisfaction to America’s class clowns through cartoons, parodies, sarcastic characters and an unending stream of gross-out gags.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024
There was more than a whiff of self-satisfaction from the Kremlin on Wednesday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Mongolia at the start of the week went without a hitch — despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant hanging over the visit.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2024
The potential rewards for their work had always been self-satisfaction, a few tip-jar-sized donations, and maybe some nice emails.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024
Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.
—David Brooks, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025
Just as there’s no dramatic build-up to Maria landing the part, there’s no romance to the process of acting it, nor the slightest whiff of self-satisfaction in recreating iconic scenes.
—David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025
Corporate leaders will be called upon to overcome self-satisfaction with progress made in the advancement of gender parity for women, especially those in senior and middle management.
—Michael Peregrine, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024
Megalopolis posits a world of clueless liberal self-satisfaction, missing every point of contemporary alertness to ongoing lawfare and sedition.
—Armond White, National Review, 4 Oct. 2024
Nothing was off-limits in Mad, a newsstand stalwart that would reach peak annual sales in the 1970s of 2.5 million issues by delivering belly laughs and self-satisfaction to America’s class clowns through cartoons, parodies, sarcastic characters and an unending stream of gross-out gags.
—Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024
There was more than a whiff of self-satisfaction from the Kremlin on Wednesday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Mongolia at the start of the week went without a hitch — despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant hanging over the visit.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2024
The potential rewards for their work had always been self-satisfaction, a few tip-jar-sized donations, and maybe some nice emails.
—Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-satisfaction
Noun
-
Upstairs, the home boasts four bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, including the primary bedroom and bathroom with double vanities, a soaking tub and large shower.—
Molly Davis,
Nashville Tennessean,
24 Sep. 2025
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Moreover, sports teams are the ultimate vanity asset – something billionaires love to own without too much concern about possible operating losses (which likely just offset taxable gains elsewhere).—
Chris Deubert,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Noun
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This wasn’t a choice that should have been left to an individual’s ego, an individual’s ambition.—
Sydney Topf,
The Washington Examiner,
23 Sep. 2025
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Loners avoid prison politics — the gossip, the egos, the tests of toughness.—
John J. Lennon,
Rolling Stone,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Head coach Bryan Pinabell said that the Spartans were a big challenge, but claiming the road victory was something his team took pride in.—
Erik Anderson,
Boston Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Attendees will have an opportunity to connect with local pride organizations from across Orange County in the Pride City segment.—
Mona Darwish,
Oc Register,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Blenkin told Variety in September 2025 that his character's laughter comes from arrogance.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
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Nishijima brings his characteristic intensity to Kenji, a man whose academic arrogance masks deep insecurity and desperation.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
22 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-satisfaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-satisfaction. Accessed 29 Sep. 2025.
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