self-satisfaction

noun

self-sat·​is·​fac·​tion ˌself-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce self-satisfaction (audio)
: a usually smug satisfaction with oneself or one's position or achievements

Examples of self-satisfaction in a Sentence

so many of the Web site's self-portraits give the impression of clueless self-satisfaction
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Just as there’s no dramatic build-up to Maria landing the part, there’s no romance to the process of acting it, nor the slightest whiff of self-satisfaction in recreating iconic scenes. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 21 Mar. 2025 Corporate leaders will be called upon to overcome self-satisfaction with progress made in the advancement of gender parity for women, especially those in senior and middle management. Michael Peregrine, Forbes, 30 Dec. 2024 Megalopolis posits a world of clueless liberal self-satisfaction, missing every point of contemporary alertness to ongoing lawfare and sedition. Armond White, National Review, 4 Oct. 2024 Nothing was off-limits in Mad, a newsstand stalwart that would reach peak annual sales in the 1970s of 2.5 million issues by delivering belly laughs and self-satisfaction to America’s class clowns through cartoons, parodies, sarcastic characters and an unending stream of gross-out gags. Patrick Sauer, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Sep. 2024 There was more than a whiff of self-satisfaction from the Kremlin on Wednesday, after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to Mongolia at the start of the week went without a hitch — despite an International Criminal Court arrest warrant hanging over the visit. Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2024 The potential rewards for their work had always been self-satisfaction, a few tip-jar-sized donations, and maybe some nice emails. Kevin Purdy, Ars Technica, 17 May 2024 Bleakley said people can often use such cases for their own self-satisfaction, dehumanizing victims in the process. Daysia Tolentino, NBC News, 5 Jan. 2024 For all its economic might, persistent skepticism about the usefulness of forceful intervention, coupled with a hint of self-satisfaction about its own success, keeps Europe’s leading power out of most violent international conflicts. Lauren Harrison, Foreign Affairs, 10 Nov. 2014

Word History

First Known Use

1605, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of self-satisfaction was in 1605

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Cite this Entry

“Self-satisfaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-satisfaction. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

self-satisfaction

noun
self-sat·​is·​fac·​tion
ˌself-ˌsat-əs-ˈfak-shən
: a usually overly satisfied feeling about oneself or one's achievements
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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