Definition
Overweening means having excessive confidence or arrogance, often resulting in a negative outcome or behavior.
Pronunciation
US English
UK English
Part of Speech
Adjective.
Synonyms
Arrogant, conceited, haughty, insolent, pompous, presumptuous, proud, supercilious, vain.
Antonyms
Humble, modest, meek, unassuming, submissive, deferential, respectful.
Word Forms
| Part of Speech | Words |
|---|---|
| Noun | None |
| Verb | None |
| Adjective | overweening |
| Adverb | None |
Example Sentences
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His overweening pride often made it difficult for him to admit his mistakes or apologize for his actions.
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The team’s overweening confidence resulted in their underestimating their opponents and losing the game.
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The politician’s overweening ambition led him to make unethical choices and ignore the needs of his constituents.
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Her overweening sense of entitlement made her difficult to work with and caused conflict with her colleagues.
Usage
Overweening is a word that is commonly used in English language to describe people or things that exhibit excessive pride, arrogance, or self-importance. Often used in a negative context, it suggests behavior that is obnoxious, pretentious, or egotistical. The word is derived from the Old English term “oferwēnian,” which means to be too confident or arrogant, and has been in use since the middle ages.
The word overweening is often used as an adjective to describe people or attitudes that display an excessive amount of confidence or conceit. It is sometimes used as a prefix to describe other words, such as overweening pride, overweening ambition, overweening egotism, and overweening arrogance. The suffix “-ing” is often added to the word to create a verb form, such as overweening oneself, which means to exhibit excessive pride or arrogance.
Overweening is often used to describe people who are self-absorbed or egotistical, and whose behavior or attitudes can be irritating or obnoxious to others. For example, a character in a book or movie might be described as having an overweening sense of entitlement or an overweening ambition to achieve power or fame. In a workplace setting, a coworker who is constantly bragging about their accomplishments or belittling others might be described as having an overweening sense of self-importance.
In conclusion, overweening is a useful word to describe people or behaviors that display an excessive amount of pride, arrogance or self-importance. It can be used to describe a wide range of situations, from negative character traits to annoying behaviors in everyday situations. The variety of ways in which it can be used, including as a prefix or suffix, make it a versatile and valuable addition to the English language.