All words

overweening

Meaning

Having or showing too much pride, assurance, or self-regard.

Examples by difficulty

Basic: Simple, everyday vocabulary — the easiest to read.

Jake’s overweening attitude at work made everyone uncomfortable. He always acted like he knew more than the boss and told others what to do, even when they did not ask for help. It was clear he thought he was better than everyone else.

His overweening confidence made him dismiss everyone else's ideas. He thought he was always right, that his way was the only way. This made him seem so arrogant and sure of himself, it was hard to be around him.

Jack's overweening confidence irritated his teammates. He strutted around the office, claiming he could solve every problem without help, dismissing their input with a wave of his hand. His ego was so big that no one wanted to work with him anymore.

Dave strutted into the meeting with such overweening confidence that he tried to lead a PowerPoint using his dog’s baby photos. When someone questioned his plan to solve world hunger with more cheese, Dave replied, “Only an overweening genius like me could think of that!”

Barnaby's overweening belief that he could juggle flaming hedgehogs led to a very singed beard and a surprisingly speedy evacuation of the village fair. He was just so sure he'd be amazing!

Normal: Standard, everyday language.

The overweening CEO strutted around the office, acting as if he was the only one who knew how to run the company. His arrogance was evident in every decision he made, disregarding the input of his team members and assuming he had all the answers.

With an overweening confidence, the young man boasted to his friend that he could outplay any chess champion. His friend, who knew better, shook his head and smiled indulgently. The boy's arrogance was simply too much to bear.

The overweening king sat upon his grand throne, his eyes filled with disdain as he surveyed his subjects below. His cruel decrees and harsh punishments instilled fear in all who dared to defy him. The people whispered in hushed tones, cursing the arrogant ruler who believed himself to be above all others. But as the sun set on another day of tyranny, a rebellion began to brew in the hearts of the oppressed. They vowed to overthrow the overweening tyrant and reclaim their freedom, no longer willing to bow before his presumptuous rule.

The creature towered over him, its eyes blazing with an overweening confidence. It sneered, its voice a chilling whisper. "You stand in my way. A mere mortal, daring to challenge me." Its breath was hot on his face, the stench of decay overwhelming. Fear coursed through him as the creature's massive claws reached out, their tips sharp as daggers.

In the kingdom of Eldoria, a dragon named Drakar ruled with an overweening confidence in his own power. He believed himself invincible, untouchable by any knight or wizard who dared to challenge him. But one day, a brave young squire named Landon stood before the mighty beast, his sword raised high. Drakar scoffed at the boy, his arrogance shining through in every word he spoke. Little did the dragon know, Landon possessed a magic amulet that could weaken even the most overweening of foes. With a swift strike, the squire brought the mighty Drakar to his knees, humbled and defeated.

Advanced: Richer vocabulary that stretches an upper-level reader.

No one liked working with Tom because of his overweening attitude. He always acted as if he knew more than everyone else and dismissed their ideas without listening. His arrogant behavior made group projects difficult and left others feeling frustrated and ignored.

His overweening confidence in the stock market blinded him to the obvious signs of a crash. He scoffed at warnings, convinced his strategy was foolproof, but his arrogance led to ruin.

His overweening confidence alienated his teammates, who grew tired of his constant boasting and dismissive attitude toward their contributions. No matter the project's outcome, he always claimed sole credit, believing his ideas were inherently superior to everyone else's.

Despite having lost every chess match he’d ever played, Nigel strutted into the tournament with such overweening confidence that even grandmasters wondered if he’d discovered a secret move. Alas, after three moves, he declared checkmate—on himself—then took a bow as if he’d won.

Sir Reginald, convinced his culinary skills were unparalleled, approached the notoriously bland hospital food with overweening confidence, expecting to magically transform it. He proceeded to garnish his lukewarm gruel with his own, rather pungent, perfume. The resulting aroma, he declared, was "avant-garde."

Challenging: Rare, high-register vocabulary for serious word lovers.

Despite his mediocre performance, Mark strutted through the office with overweening confidence, dismissing his colleagues’ suggestions with a cavalier wave. His arrogant assumptions that he always knew best left others reluctant to collaborate, frustrated by his presumptuous attitude and refusal to acknowledge anyone else's expertise.

His overweening confidence made him dismiss the concerns of his subordinates as mere trifles. They watched in dismay as his arrogance led to inevitable miscalculations.

His overweening confidence alienated colleagues, who resented how he constantly interrupted meetings and claimed sole credit for team successes. When promotions were announced, no one was surprised that management passed him over, tired of his insufferable arrogance.

Jonathan’s overweening belief in his own interpretive dance skills led him to perform at the office party, where he confidently twirled into the punch bowl during his “ode to synergy.” His colleagues, befuddled by his arrogant pirouettes, still haven’t recovered from the spectacle—or the upholstery cleaning bill.

The pigeon, with an overweening arrogance, strutted across the piazza, surveying the tourists like an opulent regent inspecting his plebeian subjects. He pecked disdainfully at a dropped cannoli, clearly believing the entire establishment owed him a culinary tribute for gracing it with his magnificent presence.

Difficulty

Challenging — Rare, high-register words for serious word lovers.

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