as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a self-important businessman who believed his schedule mattered more than anyone else's
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-important
The former excels at playing the earthy, sly, seductive trickster, the latter, the pompous, self-important rich boy.
—
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2024
What about Miami would attract a phony, conniving, self-important, billionaire pedophile?
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 June 2024
And both weave rich tapestries out of seemingly disconnected actions through a panoramic collection of archetypes: the criminal outsider, the lonely lady, the political expert, the self-important political climber, the master manipulator.
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Trailer spoofs In place of self-important promotion, Oldenburg every year releases a festival trailer spoofing a major blockbuster or cult movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-important 
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2024
What about Miami would attract a phony, conniving, self-important, billionaire pedophile?
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 June 2024
And both weave rich tapestries out of seemingly disconnected actions through a panoramic collection of archetypes: the criminal outsider, the lonely lady, the political expert, the self-important political climber, the master manipulator.
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Trailer spoofs In place of self-important promotion, Oldenburg every year releases a festival trailer spoofing a major blockbuster or cult movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-important
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-important
Adjective
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Oliver then suddenly appeared with a smug look on his face.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2025
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Remember how, in that SNL book, Ferrell represented the hip future of comedy, mocking the smug boomer shtick of a Chevy Chase?—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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This was my chance to not be an actor, not have that stink of being an actor, that egotistical, show-off, controlling, making choices, being clever part of being an actor.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2024
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The film, which centers on a group of egotistical actors making a Vietnam War movie, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide and picked up an Oscar nomination for supporting actor thanks to Robert Downey Jr.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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By drawing from his Mexican and Irish American roots, as well as his life as a proud gay man, Chavarria flaunts his progressive principles while creating new and novel experiences on the runway.—
Cat Cardenas,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2025
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Er, well, for the dozens of proud Vision Pro owners.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The people of that town responded immediately to try to rescue the 70 souls on board; however, their efforts were in vain.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
4 Feb. 2025
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Alas, her forceful efforts are in vain, and the purple team wins, crushing Team Grant Slam 18 to 2.—
Kristen Baldwin,
EW.com,
4 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Daemon, Viserys’s vainglorious younger brother, had married his niece in part as a way to strengthen his own bid for the throne, and Alicent had pushed for the ascension of her immature firstborn, Aegon.—
Inkoo Kang,
The New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2024
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Debuting March 3, the six-part realpolitik satire, created and executive produced by Succession alum Will Tracy, sees Oscar and Emmy winner Winslet return to HBO in an often hilarious role as the vainglorious Elena.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
20 June 2024
Adjective
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
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Rory Kinnear steals some of the best lines as the conceited British prime minister, and Ato Essandoh, as Kate’s deputy chief, plays the ever-flustered man surrounded by extremely capable women with admirable humor, charm, and confidence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Against the devoted coalition of evangelical Christians, neocons, pompous billionaires and MAGA Republicans who now dominate the other side of the aisle, this prevaricating has failed to muster enthusiasm for the Democratic Party or much of the industry’s own product.—
Matt Brennan,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Jan. 2025
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Do Guy Pearce and Felicity Jones play real people in 'The Brutalist?’ The film kicks into high gear with the introduction of Harrison Lee Van Buren (Guy Pearce), a pompous patriarch and industrialist who commissions Tóth to design an elaborate community center.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA TODAY,
18 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near self-important
Cite this Entry
“Self-important.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-important. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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