as in cavalier
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude the arrogant young lawyer elbowed his way to the head of the line of customers, declaring that he was too busy to wait like everybody else

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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an arrogant attitude
a pompous attitude
a smug attitude
an overconfident attitude
a snobbish attitude
a conceited attitude
arrogant people
cocky people
egotistical people
pompous people
conceited people
an arrogant assumption
an audacious assumption
a pompous assumption
a presumptuous assumption
an overconfident assumption
a boastful assumption

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective arrogant differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of arrogant are disdainful, haughty, insolent, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

When is disdainful a more appropriate choice than arrogant?

The synonyms disdainful and arrogant are sometimes interchangeable, but disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

When would haughty be a good substitute for arrogant?

The words haughty and arrogant are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

When might insolent be a better fit than arrogant?

The words insolent and arrogant can be used in similar contexts, but insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

When could lordly be used to replace arrogant?

The meanings of lordly and arrogant largely overlap; however, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

Where would overbearing be a reasonable alternative to arrogant?

While the synonyms overbearing and arrogant are close in meaning, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When can proud be used instead of arrogant?

In some situations, the words proud and arrogant are roughly equivalent. However, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

When is it sensible to use supercilious instead of arrogant?

While in some cases nearly identical to arrogant, supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness.

an aloof and supercilious manner

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 arrogant So this kind of parallel can easily be drawn between Iran and other countries, [including those with] an arrogant isolation program, definitely. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2025 One of the targets of his reign of terror is arrogant Judge Stefan Mortensen, played by Oscar-winning actor Geoffrey Rush admitted to the facility after being left partially paralyzed after a stroke. Simon Thompson, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025 He's outgrown being shown any leniency or 'given a second chance' with such arrogant, boorish behavior. Erin Clack, People.com, 27 Feb. 2025 The actor has one daughter with ex-wife Melanie Griffith and has been dating his girlfriend Nicole Kimpel since 2014. 05 of 09 John Lithgow as Lord Farquaad The actor behind the arrogant Lord Farquaad boasts an impressive career that began decades before Shrek came out in 2001. Zoey Lyttle, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for arrogant
Recent Examples of Synonyms for arrogant
Adjective
  • Today, despite a cavalier public attitude toward the disease, AIDS causes over 630,000 deaths globally.
    Powel H. Kazanjian, The Conversation, 5 Mar. 2025
  • But after this rush of cavalier soldiering and bitter sarcasm comes a sobering moment.
    Jake Coyle, Boston Herald, 28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Vera Clinic Blending medical expertise with advanced technology, Vera Clinic offers superior hair transplant services, using a holistic approach to patient care that includes comprehensive consultations, personalized treatment plans, and meticulous post-operative follow-ups.
    Kyle J. Russell, USA Today, 27 Mar. 2025
  • They’re made with moisture-wicking material that offers a four-way stretch for superior compression and support.
    BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Since then, he’s portrayed a colorful collection of characters, from a domineering theater owner in Shakespeare in Love to Pirates of the Caribbean’s villain turned hero, Captain Hector Barbossa.
    airmail.news, airmail.news, 8 Mar. 2025
  • All the while, his domineering mother Bunny (played by the late Frances Sternhagen) is determined to stay the number one woman in her son's life.
    Raechal Shewfelt, EW.com, 8 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But Williams hasn’t shown strong recruiting ties in Baltimore or Maryland, which is important in College Park, as evidenced by vocal responses from Len Elmore and Tom McMillen, and particularly on the heels of Derik Queen’s success.
    Baltimore Sun staff, Baltimore Sun, 1 Apr. 2025
  • So coming to agreement sooner on appropriate guardrails is important.
    Steve Case, Time, 1 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Alencar secured four of five takedown attempts and maintained 12:38 of control time en route to the dominant win.
    Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Graduate guard Azzi Fudd, who scored just eight points in UConn’s Elite Eight win against USC, was equally dominant.
    Grace Raynor, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Arthur is … a lot too, but with a supercilious edge?
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Not that Allen wasn’t above poking fun at a friend: In many of their films together, Allen presented Roberts as so cool-headed as to verge on the comically supercilious.
    Peter Tonguette, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 21 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • The newcomers to their abode are Jerry, a hunky Mormon flight attendant (Bomer), and Arthur, a haughty fashion doyen recently fired from Vogue (Graham).
    Nina Metz, Chicago Tribune, 27 Mar. 2025
  • Just when things are looking up — a haughty British couple leaves this daughter of Oxfordshire a handsome tip — the dinner pervert turns up for his morning coffee.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • But my in-laws seemed not to catch this smug look of his, and when my mother-in-law excused herself to go to the bathroom, my father-in-law took the opportunity to go over to his desk and take out one of his special blue envelopes.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 2 Apr. 2025
  • But those smug computers obviously haven’t seen a shirtless Illini coach Brad Underwood and his Super Soaker squirt gun.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Arrogant.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/arrogant. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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