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“The overweening conceit which the greater part of men have of their own abilities is an ancient evil remarked by the philosophers and moralists of all ages.” So wrote the Scottish philosopher Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations. But while overweening conceit might be an age-old evil, the word overweening is of 14th century vintage. It developed from a form of the Middle English verb overwenen, meaning “to be arrogant.” That term built on wenen, meaning “to think” or “to suppose.” Today, the adjective overweening is the most widely used of the wenen descendants, but historical texts also occasionally include the verb overween, meaning “to think too highly of one’s own opinion.” It was also possible at one time to ween just enough, without overdoing it. All things in moderation—even self-esteem—after all.
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Examples of overweening in a Sentence
Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 July 2024
That gloss overlooked the reality that people with little wealth or power frequently are forced to contend with overweening bureaucrats who invent their own authority and play by their own rules.
—Jacob Sullum, Orange County Register, 8 July 2024
The Court also brushed back an overweening Environmental Protection Agency rule, in Ohio v. EPA, that ran roughshod over a congressional design to share responsibility for air quality between the EPA and the states.
—The Editors, National Review, 28 June 2024
There are more talented players than ever, and this fact could blunt, just slightly, the power of the overweening stars.
—Vinson Cunningham, The New Yorker, 21 June 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweening. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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overweening
adjective
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