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self-appointed

American

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

adjective

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

having assumed authority without the agreement of others

a self-appointed critic

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

self-appointment

noun

Etymology

Origin of self-appointed

First recorded in 1790–1800

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.

See Examples For:

self-appointed

He joined other hilltop boys, finding purpose over the years living at outposts and acting as a self-appointed protector of the land.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 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

I, the self-appointed queen of snacks, brought a plethora of goodies and drinks from my Sherman Oaks apartment.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 7, 2025

"She could be very happy with two or three or four or five," asserted this self-appointed expert in child psychology.

From Salon ● May 7, 2025

Our self-appointed timekeeper, he nudged JoJo with his foot.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023