swellheaded

adjective

as in proud
having too high an opinion of oneself the child has become swellheaded from his parents' constant praise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for swellheaded
  1. proud
  2. arrogant
  3. smug
Adjective
  • Now, Foxx not only has a new outlook on life, but is a proud dad of three.
    — Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Takeshi’s father is a petty and proud man, in ways continually expanded upon throughout the film’s runtime, though how he’s actually framed never truly changes.
    — Kambole Campbell, Variety, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of proud
Adjective
  • Using an acronym meant for minor zoning squabbles against resistance to a massive, 80 mph express train slicing through dense residential blocks is an arrogant posture that completely obscures the true nature of this unconscionable project.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Steve Buscemi as Harry’s regular fence; Tatiana Maslany as his estranged daughter; and Will Price as the arrogant, heat-packing scion of a Manhattan crime family also star.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogant
Adjective
  • The typically smug host appeared upset earlier this year at the Golden Globes when presenter Wanda Sykes roasted him and another nominee up for best performance in stand-up comedy on television, Ricky Gervais.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of smug
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.

Browse Nearby Words

swelled (up)
swellheaded
swellheadedness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Swellheaded.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/swellheaded. Accessed 5 Nov. 2026.

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