self-appointed

American  

[self-uh-poin-tid] / ˈsɛlf əˈpɔɪn tɪd /

adjective

1. chosen by oneself to act in a certain capacity or to fulfill a certain function, especially pompously or self-righteously.

   a self-appointed guardian of the public's morals.

---

self-appointed British  

adjective

1. having assumed authority without the agreement of others

   a self-appointed critic

---

Other Word Forms

• self-appointment
  noun

---

Etymology

Origin of self-appointed

First recorded in 1790–1800

---

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-appointed

The crew said their launch had been unexpectedly smooth despite some teething toilet issues – which got resolved after Koch, the crew's self-appointed "space plumber", dismantled parts of the toilet under instruction from mission control.

From BBC ● Apr. 3, 2026

Harbored at different times by Yemen, Syria, East Germany and communist Hungary, this self-appointed tribune of the oppressed was finally captured in Sudan in 1994, then convicted in France of multiple murders.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 20, 2026

For Heizer, his training began with one self-appointed task — watching a classic television comedy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2025

Adams, 66, is closely associated with Benjamin Netanyahu's government and has previously told BBC Sport he is a "self-appointed ambassador to Israel".

From BBC ● Sep. 25, 2025

Prowling around the Tijuana jockeys’ room in reassuringly medical-looking Dr. Kildare attire, Frenchy was the self-appointed mad scientist of the racing world.

From "Seabiscuit: An American Legend" by Laura Hillenbrand

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

---