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cocksureness

cocksureness

8.7
Too much confidence that ignores other people's views
  • noun
  • /ˈkɑkˌʃɜrnəs/
translation icon : presunción
  • Despite his lack of experience, his cocksureness convinced others to follow his lead.

Examples

  • Runs on fear, intimidation, and the whims of the top dog; falls on fearlessness (true fearlessness, not cocksureness, boldness, or pretenses to honor and fearlessness).

    Blog text (16)
  • The same "cocksureness" made him a tough antagonist in scientific debate.

    Academic text (1993)
  • His cocksureness during the presentation caused some attendees to question his credibility.

  • The politician's cocksureness about winning the election alienated many voters.

Synonyms

certainty
vscocksureness
  • Literature
202 3.4

A strong feeling that something is true or will happen

adds a judgment of excess or unwarranted assurance beyond neutral surety
overconfidence
vscocksureness
11 4.4

A feeling of being too sure of yourself when you are wrong

expresses total, absolute certainty rather than only unjustified self assurance
presumption
vscocksureness
7 7.2

Bold behavior that shows no respect for others

is about full certainty rather than simple acts of arrogance or daring
certitude
vscocksureness
  • Formal
7 8.3

Complete confidence that something is true without enough proof

leans toward personal excessive assurance rather than pure epistemic judgment
cockiness
vscocksureness
4 7.0

A proud, rude way of acting that shows little respect for other people

focuses on absolute certainty rather than rude or showy bold behavior
brashness
vscocksureness
3 6.8

A way of acting that is too bold, loud, and rude

highlights unwavering certainty of belief rather than loud or reckless boldness
presumptuousness
vscocksureness
1 8.7

Being too confident in a rude way

relies on absolute certainty rather than on social boundary crossing or boldness
sureness
vscocksureness
1 3.6

A feeling of confidence and certainty without doubt

tends toward extreme, unwarranted conviction rather than calm confident belief
positivity
vscocksureness
1 4.2

Being sure about what you say or believe

carries more of an extreme, unjustified certainty rather than simple optimism
hyperconfidence
vscocksureness
8.7

Being much more sure of yourself than you should be

shows total certainty and sometimes unwarranted belief rather than mere excess
surfeit of confidence
vscocksureness
  • Formal
8.1

Too much confidence that makes you ignore risks or mistakes

expresses firm absolute certainty often without justification rather than mere quantity
presumptiveness
vscocksureness
8.5

Too much confidence that makes you act without respect, for example interrupting others

places emphasis on total certainty rather than on forward attitude or disrespect
unsinkable confidence
vscocksureness
6.9

A strong belief in yourself that never goes away

focuses on absolute certain belief often without justification rather than mere resilience
apodictic certainty
vscocksureness
  • Formal
9.9

A truth that cannot be denied by reason or logic

is general personal excessive assuredness rather than technical logical necessity

Antonyms

296 4.0

Not being sure about what will happen or what to do

93 3.7

A feeling of not being sure about yourself or what you can do

A feeling of not being sure about something

How Confident

arrogance
133 4.8
cocksureness
8.7
cockiness
4 7.0
confidence
419 1.9

Surface Forms

cocksureness singular

Morphology

cocksureness = cocksure (semi-transparent) = cock + sure + ness

Built by adding the noun-forming suffix '-ness' to 'cocksure'; while formation is regular, 'cocksure' is idiomatic and its 'cock-' element is not fully transparent to learners.

Etymology

Cocksureness comes from cock, meaning a rooster, and sure 'certain', and is like the everyday word cocky for someone very proud. Think of a proud rooster strutting as if it is completely certain, so cocksureness means confidence that can be too strong or unfair.