arrogant
Americanadjective
-
making claims or pretensions to superior importance or rights; overbearingly assuming; insolently proud.
an arrogant public official.
- Synonyms:
- brazen, imperious, haughty, presumptuous
- Antonyms:
- meek
-
characterized by or proceeding from arrogance, or a sense of superiority, self-importance, or entitlement.
arrogant claims.
adjective
Synonym Usage
See proud.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of arrogant
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin arrogant-, stem of arrogāns ) “presuming,” present participle of arrogāre; see arrogate, -ant
Explanation
Arrogant is an adjective for describing people who are too proud and look down on others, like supermodels who think their good looks give them a right to do whatever they want. Arrogant derives from Latin arrogare "to claim," and the idea is that someone is claiming credit or advantages that they are not entitled to. It's close in meaning to haughty and supercilious, but both of those have connotations of coolness and perceived superiority that arrogant does not. An aristocrat could be called all three, but a customs official or traffic cop is more likely to be called arrogant than the other terms.
Vocabulary lists containing arrogant
Ghost
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
List 7
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
More Negative Words to Describe a Person
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Arrogant in the sense of handing down decisions in major cases that really are punts, making you wonder why they took the case in the first place.
From Slate • Jul. 8, 2023
"There was a real emphasis on 'aggressive' bitterness," Grimm said, "and IPAs like Stone's Arrogant Bastard made a big deal about how 'extreme' they were and how only really hardcore people could 'handle' it."
From Salon • Apr. 26, 2022
Arrogant, aloof and slow-witted, according to some who have encountered him, the duke’s interview last weekend with Newsnight’s Emily Maitlis is now seen as a textbook example of how not to conduct a damage-limitation exercise.
From The Guardian • Nov. 23, 2019
"Arrogant little man!" she jokes, wagging her finger at him.
From BBC • Sep. 21, 2019
Arrogant and humble at the same time, the radical, fearless nun and her fellow sisters were the most committed individuals Farmer had ever met.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
