1
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a director who has little patience for overweening actors who think they are above taking advice and criticism
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2
as in excessive
going beyond a normal or acceptable limit in degree or amount
overweening desire for wealth and fame
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3
as in arrogant
having a feeling of superiority that shows itself in an overbearing attitude
an overweening administrator who simply doesn't know how to manage people
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4
as in inflated
extended beyond normal or realistic bounds
an overweening national pride that prompted its citizens to denigrate other countries
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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of overweening
For those who truly want to reshape Washington’s overweening and militarized foreign policy, the best approach is not to engage in name-calling but to work to replace the existing foreign policy consensus and its disciples with something better.
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Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2020
Out of an overweening sense of modesty, perhaps, this won’t really come across to the uninitiated.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2024
Unlike Zakaria, Perl-Rosenthal doesn’t really believe that counter-revolutionary or illiberal reversals prove that the early revolutionaries were overweening.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Historical precedent suggested the country’s overweening military authorities would not accept any outcome that went against their political agenda.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overweening 
Emma Ashford, Foreign Affairs, 29 May 2020
Out of an overweening sense of modesty, perhaps, this won’t really come across to the uninitiated.
—Peter Rainer, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Mar. 2024
Unlike Zakaria, Perl-Rosenthal doesn’t really believe that counter-revolutionary or illiberal reversals prove that the early revolutionaries were overweening.
—Gideon Lewis-Kraus, The New Yorker, 25 Mar. 2024
Historical precedent suggested the country’s overweening military authorities would not accept any outcome that went against their political agenda.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 11 Feb. 2024
See all Example Sentences for overweening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overweening
Adjective
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But while the 118 is able to save both Celeste and her mother-in-law’s final resting place, a smug Trent trips and drops the vase, an appropriate punchline to a very silly cold open.Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 7 Nov. 2024
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The smug conventional wisdom has it that voters don’t care much about abstractions like democracy or the rule of law.Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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What’s more, research also shows there's a sweet spot in AI politeness - excessive formality doesn't yield better results, but professional courtesy consistently does.Bernard Marr, Forbes, 5 Nov. 2024
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Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli, causing our senses to work overtime on what is not necessary or important.Shira Gill, TIME, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Manji will appear as Crispin, an arrogant, pompous employee at a fancy, high-end hardware store who snubs George.Katie Campione, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2024
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My 21-year-old grandson is a dramatic and arrogant know-it-all.Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 26 Sep. 2024
Adjective
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Oasis announces North America tour dates for summer 2025 00:39 These measures were implemented in an effort to curb ticket scalping, or reselling tickets at inflated prices for profit.Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 30 Oct. 2024
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The inflated cost for some spare parts means others can’t be bought, and the readiness of the plane to fly missions could be affected.Tom Vanden Brook, USA TODAY, 29 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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Gregory is touched by the compliment and proud of his ability to connect with a student, but Darnell isn’t pleased with the idea of another man forming a bond with his son.Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2024
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The proud cat mom concluded her message by reminding fans to register to vote.Toria Sheffield, People.com, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The question asks whether to remove the state superintendent of public instruction from the list of top state officials who would step into the governor’s role under extreme circumstances.Caroline Beck, The Indianapolis Star, 6 Nov. 2024
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What might another extreme attack on the U.S. electoral system look like?Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Astle lives a little over 60 miles from the Mexican border, and said the talk of higher crime in the area due to immigration is exaggerated.Lorie Konish, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2024
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Allegations of widespread mail-in ballot fraud are also exaggerated.Clifford Tatum, Fortune, 4 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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From this noble, if admittedly egotistical goal, come gaslighting, madness, war, self-mutilation, and murder.James Grebey, Vulture, 4 Oct. 2024
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Pharrell Williams’s egotistical fantasy Talent is not always original.Armond White, National Review, 11 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near overweening
Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overweening. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
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