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.

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self-appointed British  

adjective

1. having assumed authority without the agreement of others

   a self-appointed critic

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Other Word Forms

• self-appointment
  noun

Etymology

Origin of self-appointed

First recorded in 1790–1800

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

self-appointed

He said "in the age of the Tiger" - his self-appointed nickname - the state would be forceful and decisive against crime.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Married to the legendary Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee until his death in 2014, Quinn has functioned, at least since the 1980s, as the self-appointed spokeswoman of the nation’s permanent political establishment.

From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026

Ms. Joselit vividly captures Kaplan’s fervor to fulfill his self-appointed life mission to prod American Jews forward from their 19th-century diaspora ghettoes into the freedoms of 20th-century America.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026

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

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 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