SELF-IMPORTANCE Synonyms: 128 Similar and Opposite Words

self-importance

noun

ˌself-im-ˈpȯr-tᵊn(t)s

Definition of self-importance

as in arrogance

an exaggerated sense of one's importance that shows itself in the making of excessive or unjustified claims the boxer's flamboyant self-importance often made for a colorful prefight press conference

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in vanity

an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements her overbearing self-importance has given her a sense of entitlement

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 self-importance Season four course-corrected somewhat, but its hard embrace of a bleeding-heart sentimentality around found families and the power of food smacked of self-importance. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 25 June 2026 There’s also a broader cultural undercurrent shaping all of this—a down-to-earth atmosphere that resists hierarchy and self-importance. — Alli Forde, Travel + Leisure, 8 June 2026 This population crisis feeds into a post-imperial syndrome, where the decline of empire and power status invokes a sense of loss of self-importance that gives rise to resentment and an unwavering commitment to retain great power status. — John Rennie Short, The Conversation, 31 Mar. 2026 Sonny was married for more than 40 years to his beloved Margo — who, as was often the case of the wives of famous/infamous men, knew exactly how and when to best burst his occasional balloon of self-importance and puffery. — David Aldridge, New York Times, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for self-importance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-importance

Noun

An America that seeks justice with dignity and wisdom, not arrogance and gore.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
These fascinating, illuminating episodes raise the question of whether great fiction requires the kind of single-mindedness and even arrogance that McCarthy cultivated.

— New York Times, New York Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrogance

Noun

Rather than through a cold call or email, the scammers lure them through websites offering self-publishing or vanity publishing.

— Snigdha Poonam, The Dial, 13 Oct. 2026
And the angelic youth Dorian Gray’s deadly descent into vanity and vice—ignited by a hubristic obsession with his own image—eerily foreshadows the grim trajectory of Wilde’s later years.

— Hannah Aizenman, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of vanity

Noun

Meanwhile, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), which sees space superiority as essential to winning future wars, is developing a range of space capabilities as well as a suite of weapons that can attack satellites.

— Kathleen Curlee, Foreign Affairs, 14 Oct. 2026
Credibility is affected deeply by strategic cultural assessments about superiority and inferiority, and notions about when, where, how and for whom the credibility matters.

— Christopher Nichols, The Conversation, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of superiority

Noun

Both teams now limp into Saturday's game in Austin with bruised bodies and egos, and carrying a whiff of desperation for a win to keep the season from unraveling.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
Did that feel like a parody of my ego, or also a way to make fun of it?

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of ego

Browse Nearby Words

self-immolation

self-importance

self-important

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“Self-importance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-importance. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of self-importance

noun

Example Sentences

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