overconfidence

noun

over·​con·​fi·​dence ˌō-vər-ˈkän-fə-dən(t)s How to pronounce overconfidence (audio)
-ˌden(t)s
: an excess of confidence (as in one's abilities or judgment) : confidence that is not justified
warned against overconfidence when investing
People tend to overestimate their skills behind the wheel and underestimate the skills of the boobs and psychopaths driving around them, a phenomenon that psychologists call "optimism bias" and the rest of us simply call delusional overconfidence.David H. Freedman

Examples of overconfidence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But overconfidence can drive businesses toward failure, found a 2020 study published in the New England Journal of Entrepreneurship. Ashton Jackson, CNBC, 1 Nov. 2024 Recognize that uncertainty also helps counteract overconfidence in AI decisions, especially in data sets prone to historical bias. Andre Shojaie, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024 The party is ebullient after a summer that saw Trump's chances drop amid Harris' surge -- but, as with Harris, his fate is far from certain, and Republicans are warning against overconfidence while still enjoying the more level playing field. Tal Axelrod, ABC News, 25 Oct. 2024 In the event, stronger morale, superior generalship, and Russia’s overconfidence (and consequent expectation of a rapid victory) proved of outsize importance. Rajan Menon, Foreign Affairs, 12 Apr. 2023 See all Example Sentences for overconfidence 

Word History

First Known Use

1622, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of overconfidence was in 1622

Dictionary Entries Near overconfidence

Cite this Entry

“Overconfidence.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overconfidence. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

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