HAUGHTY Synonyms: 149 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'haughty' differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of haughty are arrogant , disdainful , insolent , lordly , overbearing , proud , and supercilious . While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position. // a haughty aristocrat

Q: In what contexts can 'arrogant' take the place of 'haughty'?

The words arrogant and haughty can be used in similar contexts, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted. // a conceited and arrogant executive

Q: When might 'disdainful' be a better fit than 'haughty'?

In some situations, the words disdainful and haughty are roughly equivalent. However, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness. // disdainful of their social inferiors

Q: When could 'insolent' be used to replace 'haughty'?

While the synonyms insolent and haughty are close in meaning, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness. // ignored by an insolent waiter

Q: Where would 'lordly' be a reasonable alternative to 'haughty'?

While in some cases nearly identical to haughty , lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power. // a lordly condescension

Q: When would 'overbearing' be a good substitute for 'haughty'?

Although the words overbearing and haughty have much in common, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence. // an overbearing supervisor

Q: When can 'proud' be used instead of 'haughty'?

The meanings of proud and haughty largely overlap; however, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness. // too proud to take charity

Q: When is 'supercilious' a more appropriate choice than 'haughty'?

The synonyms supercilious and haughty are sometimes interchangeable, but supercilious implies a cool, patronizing haughtiness. // an aloof and supercilious manner

haughty

adjective

ˈhȯ-tē

Definition of haughty next

as in arrogant

having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude the haughty waiter smirked when I remarked that it was odd that a French restaurant didn't even have french fries on the menu

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in proud

having or displaying feelings of scorn for what is regarded as beneath oneself the student reporter received a haughty letter in reply to his request for an interview with the governor

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective haughty differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of haughty are arrogant, disdainful, insolent, lordly, overbearing, proud, and supercilious. While all these words mean "showing scorn for inferiors," haughty suggests a consciousness of superior birth or position.

a haughty aristocrat

In what contexts can arrogant take the place of haughty?

The words arrogant and haughty can be used in similar contexts, but arrogant implies a claiming for oneself of more consideration or importance than is warranted.

a conceited and arrogant executive

When might disdainful be a better fit than haughty?

In some situations, the words disdainful and haughty are roughly equivalent. However, disdainful suggests a more active and openly scornful superciliousness.

disdainful of their social inferiors

When could insolent be used to replace haughty?

While the synonyms insolent and haughty are close in meaning, insolent implies contemptuous haughtiness.

ignored by an insolent waiter

Where would lordly be a reasonable alternative to haughty?

While in some cases nearly identical to haughty, lordly implies pomposity or an arrogant display of power.

a lordly condescension

When would overbearing be a good substitute for haughty?

Although the words overbearing and haughty have much in common, overbearing suggests a tyrannical manner or an intolerable insolence.

an overbearing supervisor

When can proud be used instead of haughty?

The meanings of proud and haughty largely overlap; however, proud may suggest an assumed superiority or loftiness.

too proud to take charity

When is supercilious a more appropriate choice than haughty?

The synonyms supercilious and haughty are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 haughty Known for his suave leading roles, Jourdan depicts vampirism as a mark of haughty aristocracy rather than an outright curse. —

Celia Mattison, Vulture, 27 Dec. 2024 Yet Ellen is initially dismissed as hysterical by the stuffy men around her, including her well-meaning husband and his nobleman pal Friedrich Harding (a haughty Aaron Taylor-Johnson). —

David Sims, The Atlantic, 24 Dec. 2024 Yet, The Curse of the Were-Rabbit goes well beyond the traditional signposts by adopting a quasi-Ealing feel to its superficially cozy country setting, and by showcasing the comically haughty side of the British aristocracy. —

Vikram Murthi, Vulture, 3 Jan. 2025 Georgina Castle is haughty and hilarious as Regina George, and Grace Mouat as Karen Smith has The Savoy Theatre audience in stitches with some hilarious lines and songs, while Elèna Gyasi plays Gretchen as a needy ‘pick me’ friend. —

Lee Sharrock, Forbes, 20 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for haughty

Recent Examples of Synonyms for haughty

Adjective

Saxon, for instance, is filling the same spoiled, arrogant space as Jake Lacy’s Shane from Season One.

— Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 11 Feb. 2025
From director James Ashcroft (Coming Home in the Dark), who co-wrote the script with Eli Kent, The Rule of Jenny Pen centers on arrogant judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush), who has to live in a retirement home after a near-fatal stroke leaves him partially paralyzed.

— Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 3 Feb. 2025