as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a self-important businessman who believed his schedule mattered more than anyone else's
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Recent Examples of self-important
The former excels at playing the earthy, sly, seductive trickster, the latter, the pompous, self-important rich boy.
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Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2024
What about Miami would attract a phony, conniving, self-important, billionaire pedophile?
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 June 2024
And both weave rich tapestries out of seemingly disconnected actions through a panoramic collection of archetypes: the criminal outsider, the lonely lady, the political expert, the self-important political climber, the master manipulator.
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Trailer spoofs In place of self-important promotion, Oldenburg every year releases a festival trailer spoofing a major blockbuster or cult movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-important 
Katie Walsh, Los Angeles Times, 31 July 2024
What about Miami would attract a phony, conniving, self-important, billionaire pedophile?
—Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 10 June 2024
And both weave rich tapestries out of seemingly disconnected actions through a panoramic collection of archetypes: the criminal outsider, the lonely lady, the political expert, the self-important political climber, the master manipulator.
—Andrew Moravcsik, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2019
Trailer spoofs In place of self-important promotion, Oldenburg every year releases a festival trailer spoofing a major blockbuster or cult movie.
—Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for self-important
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-important
Adjective
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Like David, Danson appeared as a pretentious and smug version of himself on the beloved series.Esther Kang, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
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Yet the people posting vitriolic comments about Thompson feel justified in being smug about the death of this human in particular.Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Some media outlets are surrendering to Trump already This absurd boasting — arrogant without portfolio — is just what Trump is looking for in the VOA job.Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
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The single-camera series follows the arrogant, loudmouth U.S. Army Colonel Patrick Quinn (Leary), who, after an unfiltered rant, is reassigned to the Netherlands, where he is punished with a command position at the least important army base in the world.Denise Petski, Deadline, 9 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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The film, which centers on a group of egotistical actors making a Vietnam War movie, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide and picked up an Oscar nomination for supporting actor thanks to Robert Downey Jr.Zack Sharf, Variety, 26 Nov. 2024
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And with Elon Musk playing a key role in this new administration, who knows in which direction his bombastic, egotistical whims may take AI development?Matt Robison, Newsweek, 20 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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As of this week, there’s even a new Glossier product on the block sure to make Emily Weiss proud, a chubby eye shadow stick that’s excellent for accentuating even the most natural of makeup looks.Kiana Murden, Vogue, 16 Dec. 2024
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Funny Christmas jokes for kids, knock-knocks, memes to make dad proud How to prepare for winter 2024 — from freezing pipes to driving in snow and ice Who created Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?Ana Rocío Álvarez Bríñez, The Courier-Journal, 16 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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Not in the sense of some vain idea of playing with people’s heads.Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Dec. 2024
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Luke Evans, 45, who played the very vain but extremely fit character in the live-action Beauty and the Beast film, got very candid about the topic on the newest episode of the How to Fail with Elizabeth Day podcast.Lauren Huff, EW.com, 29 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Daemon, Viserys’s vainglorious younger brother, had married his niece in part as a way to strengthen his own bid for the throne, and Alicent had pushed for the ascension of her immature firstborn, Aegon.Inkoo Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Aug. 2024
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Debuting March 3, the six-part realpolitik satire, created and executive produced by Succession alum Will Tracy, sees Oscar and Emmy winner Winslet return to HBO in an often hilarious role as the vainglorious Elena.Dominic Patten, Deadline, 20 June 2024
Adjective
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 17 Nov. 2024
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Rory Kinnear steals some of the best lines as the conceited British prime minister, and Ato Essandoh, as Kate’s deputy chief, plays the ever-flustered man surrounded by extremely capable women with admirable humor, charm, and confidence.Ben Travers, IndieWire, 30 Oct. 2024
Adjective
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The disapproval is exemplified by a pompous New Yorker interviewed on the street by young fans.David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Nov. 2024
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Bonneville, as the ineffectually pompous Mr. Brown, always gives the impression of having a whale of a time.Stephanie Bunbury, Deadline, 4 Nov. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near self-important
Cite this Entry
“Self-important.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-important. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.
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