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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of self-important
Balmy does prove to be slightly sinister and fully absurd, in the way of self-important cult leaders everywhere, and Le Moulin even more so.
—
Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for self-important
Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 7 Oct. 2024
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
See All Example Sentences for self-important
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-important
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Ava Daniels is a young comedy writer who is unable to find work due to an insensitive tweet and her reputation for being self-centered and arrogant.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
9 Apr. 2025
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And the villains, of course, exuding every nastily relatable emotion; the stepmothers and sorceresses are vain, arrogant, dismissive, lonely, rude, and outrageous.—
Darren Franich,
Vulture,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In the 1998 episode, Theroux, 53, appears briefly as an egotistical writer who flirts with Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw at a party.—
John Russell,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Yes: Crumb’s work is egotistical, misogynist, racist—or, more generously, a feculent parody.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
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Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Not gaining admission to a BS/MD program after years of work can feel like a setback, but rest assured that your hard work will not be in vain.—
Kristen Moon,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
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Real celebrities guest-starred in often awkward encounters with the always vain and self-centered Miss Piggy.—
James Mercadante,
EW.com,
1 Apr. 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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Nelis renders the professor a pompous and pedantic twit but not a heartless one.—
Charles McNulty,
Los Angeles Times,
19 Mar. 2025
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Basden could have slicked up his acting with a lot of pompous pop star clichés.—
Peter Rainer,
The Christian Science Monitor,
25 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Self-important.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-important. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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