smell one's own farts
To become conceited; to believe that one's achievements are greater than they really are.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
“He is starting to smell his own farts after that small promotion.”
“After his first book became a minor success, he began to smell his own farts and stopped listening to his editor.”
“Ever since he won that local amateur cooking competition, he has really started to smell his own farts and refuses to follow any recipes but his own.”
“The politician began to smell his own farts, convinced that his mediocre policy changes were actually revolutionary shifts in the national landscape.”
The term is derived from the biological reality that an individual may become accustomed to, or eventually develop a preference for, the scent of their own flatulence, while remaining capable of identifying the emissions of others as offensive. This physiological habituation serves as the basis for the metaphor.
The idiom likens this olfactory acclimatisation to a state of being socially or intellectually out of touch. It suggests a person has become insulated from the reality of their own mediocrity, much as the nose might become insulated from a familiar unpleasantness.
- 01
abound in one's own sense
To follow one’s own inclinations and opinions.
- 02
ace up one's sleeve
A surprise advantage of which others are not aware.
- 03
act one's age
To behave in a manner appropriate to one's age.
- 04
act one's age, not one's shoe size
Synonym of act one's age (“to behave in a mature manner; to avoid being childish”).
- 05
afraid of one's own shadow
Exceptionally timid.
- 06
air one's dirty laundry in public
To reveal one's sordid secrets to the public.
- 07
air one's dirty linen in public
Synonym of air one's dirty laundry in public.
- 08
albatross around one's neck
A characteristic, possession, associate, or previous deed that hinders one's ability to succeed.
Last updated August 10, 2026