arrogant

[ar-uh-guhnt]

adjective

1. making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud.

   an arrogant public official.

   Synonyms: brazen, imperious, haughty, presumptuous
   Antonyms: meek

2. characterized by or proceeding from arrogance, or a sense of superiority, self-importance, or entitlement.

   arrogant claims.

   Antonyms: humble, modest

arrogant

/ ˈærəɡənt /

adjective

1. having or showing an exaggerated opinion of one's own importance, merit, ability, etc; conceited; overbearingly proud

   an arrogant teacher

   an arrogant assumption

Other Word Forms

• arrogantly adverb
• superarrogant adjective
• superarrogantly adverb
• unarrogant adjective
• unarrogantly adverb
• arrogance noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of arrogant¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin arrogant-, stem of arrogāns ) “presuming,” present participle of arrogāre; arrogate, -ant

Word History and Origins

Origin of arrogant¹

C14: from Latin arrogāre to claim as one's own; see _arrogate

Synonym Study

See proud.

Example Sentences

Everything in Genna’s ecosystem treats Dek as potential food, testing his skills and his species’ arrogant assumption of their physical and technological superiority.

Read more on Salon

He finds that Göring is just a man — a megalomaniacal, arrogant and manipulative man, but just a man.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

At the government’s celebratory banquet that night Sakharov was the man of the hour, the young genius who’d matched the arrogant Americans.

Read more on Literature

The interview painted a picture of an entitled royal who was aloof and arrogant.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The Mexican leader lashed out at his Austrian counterpart as being “arrogant” and “bossy.”

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• aloof 
• bossy 
• cavalier 
• cocky 
• haughty 
• imperious 
• pompous 
• presumptuous 
• pretentious 
• smug 
• vain