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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of overweening
The beat is Opium-level rage, but a techno track slips in early like the cross-channel bleed of an overweening radio station.
—
Pitchfork, 2 Dec. 2024
If his government does not manage to do so, Modi’s desire to play a greater role in the international system will be confounded by China’s overweening presence, both at the border and within India.
—Harsh V. Pant, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2024
And while there’s a variety of technology on the market designed to address this group, to which my partner and I belong, a lot of it seems somewhat overweening—and doesn’t really work.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 July 2024
That gloss overlooked the reality that people with little wealth or power frequently are forced to contend with overweening bureaucrats who invent their own authority and play by their own rules.
—Jacob Sullum, Orange County Register, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for overweening
Pitchfork, 2 Dec. 2024
If his government does not manage to do so, Modi’s desire to play a greater role in the international system will be confounded by China’s overweening presence, both at the border and within India.
—Harsh V. Pant, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2024
And while there’s a variety of technology on the market designed to address this group, to which my partner and I belong, a lot of it seems somewhat overweening—and doesn’t really work.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 July 2024
That gloss overlooked the reality that people with little wealth or power frequently are forced to contend with overweening bureaucrats who invent their own authority and play by their own rules.
—Jacob Sullum, Orange County Register, 8 July 2024
See All Example Sentences for overweening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overweening
Adjective
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But my in-laws seemed not to catch this smug look of his, and when my mother-in-law excused herself to go to the bathroom, my father-in-law took the opportunity to go over to his desk and take out one of his special blue envelopes.—
Hazlitt,
Hazlitt,
2 Apr. 2025
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But those smug computers obviously haven’t seen a shirtless Illini coach Brad Underwood and his Super Soaker squirt gun.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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When 13% of the federal budget goes to paying interest on the national debt — and the percentage keeps going up — America is on a path that has yielded chaos in dozens of nations and set the stage for World War II. Is excessive military spending a key part of the problem?—
U T Editorial Board,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
29 Mar. 2025
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As for you: keep an ear out for genuine screams and excessive silence.—
Kathryn Schulz,
New Yorker,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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In a world where deal flow is crucial, being labeled as an arrogant VC results in missing out on prime opportunities.—
David Nour,
Forbes.com,
31 Mar. 2025
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The arrogant anti-union stance did not start with the current CEO; even the legendary Studs Terkel was slapped down by WFMT management for his earlier support of an effort to unionize in 1990.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Many projects that were celebrated during bull markets are now facing existential crises, unable to justify their inflated valuations.—
Max (Chong) Li,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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Styles is frequently captured by paparazzi wearing Anderson’s designs, such as a navy bomber jacket filled with enough puffer insulation to create an inflated silhouette.—
Rebecca Mead,
The New Yorker,
17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
28 Mar. 2025
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Hosted by actor & advocate Jonah Platt, a trusted expert in contemporary Jewish culture, identity, and politics, Being Jewish seeks to engage, educate, and empower listeners to take full ownership of their identities and live as their proudest, most authentic selves.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The extreme selling on Thursday and Friday revealed that over 90% of the stocks on the NYSE declined and over 90% of the volume was declining volume.—
Tom Aspray,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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The extreme weather has also destroyed several homes and caused significant damage to structures, Fox Weather and Fox 10 reported.—
Latoya Gayle,
People.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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But it was also used to stop other individuals’ display behaviors—dramatic, exaggerated actions or gestures bonobos perform to assert dominance or attract attention.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
3 Apr. 2025
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The exaggerated, puppet-like character designs contribute to the game's mythic, storybook quality.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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In the 1998 episode, Theroux, 53, appears briefly as an egotistical writer who flirts with Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw at a party.—
John Russell,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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Yes: Crumb’s work is egotistical, misogynist, racist—or, more generously, a feculent parody.—
Dan Piepenbring,
Harper's Magazine,
3 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overweening. Accessed 11 Apr. 2025.
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