swelled head

American  

noun

1. an inordinately grand opinion of oneself; conceit.

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swelled head British  

noun

1. informal an inflated view of one's own worth, often caused by sudden success

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Other Word Forms

• swelled-headed adjective
• swelled-headedness noun

Etymology

Origin of swelled head

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

“Well, luckily I’m too old to get a swelled head,” Mitchell joked in her acceptance speech.

From Los Angeles Times

Astronauts also tend to have swelled heads, squashed eyeballs, shriveled legs and bones that become more brittle.

From New York Times

Or so he told Tommy, who punched him in the arm and told him he had a swelled head.

From Literature

Take the warnings his mother finds on the Internet and forwards to Lam and his brothers, cautioning them against the dangers of a swelled head.

From Washington Post

You can get a swelled head and think you know so much about the past, you know about the present, that you can predict the future.

From New York Times