overweening
2
9.8
- adjective
- /ˌoʊvərˈwiːnɪŋ/
- Formal
:
desmedido
- Many people find her overweening self-importance off-putting in group discussions.
Examples
-
I think that we are on the verge of a massive reaction against overweening federal power.
-
Not to mention an overweening lack of discernment and an absence of any ability in critical analysis...
Blog text (14) -
You regard U.S. foreign policy as often naive and overweening, and your ideal world order is one in which no single state is dominant.
Academic text (2005) -
There are many options for moving the country ahead, but Mr. Obama knows only one way: an overweening, blind faith in government as the solution to all the nation's problems.
Blog text (13) -
And I do not propose to let an overweening, finicky, crass lieutenant thumb his nose at his general officer commanding and get away with it.
-
I also want to confess to the crime of hubris, to the unforgivable crime of an overweening estimation of my own worth.
-
The fragility of the academic ego and the overweening sensitivity of many academics to perceived slights and criticisms is startling.
Academic text (2003) -
His overweening ambition led him to take unnecessary risks in his career.
-
The manager's overweening confidence made it difficult for the team to voice their concerns.
Synonyms
260
4.5
Behaving as if you are more important or better than other people
227
8.9
Someone who thinks they are much better than others
74
7.3
Trying to seem more important or clever than you really are
57
5.8
Acting more important and formal than necessary
28
5.7
Exaggerated and showy in style or speech
24
5.4
Thinking you are much better than other people
20
9.0
Acting as if you are more important than other people
19
5.3
To believe you can do more than you really can
13
5.8
Acting as if you are better than other people
11
7.7
To show off very expensive things to attract attention
4
8.6
Claiming to be more important or successful than you are
3
9.1
Acting more important than you really are
2
7.0
To act very confident and proud to get attention
1
7.2
Thinking you are more important than other people
1
8.4
Being too proud and too sure of yourself so you ignore advice and make bad decisions
1
7.3
Trying to do more than is reasonable or possible
Believing you are better than other people and acting like it
Being too proud and acting like you are better than others
Acting more confident and important than you really are
Having goals or ideas that are too high and unrealistic
Antonyms
How Proud
Surface Forms
Morphology
overweening = overween (opaque) = overween + ing
The step from the verb 'overween' to 'overweening' is a regular -ing derivation forming the adjective/participle and is predictable for learners who know the verb.
Etymology
Overweening comes from old parts over ('too much') and ween ('to think'). So it means 'to think too much of yourself', which is why an overweening person is too proud or too confident.