Word
arrogance
Phoneticsar·ro·gance, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɛɹəɡəns/
UK/ˈæɹəɡəns/
Uncountable noun
Definition
n. the quality of being too proud and thinking you are much better or more important than other people. You use this to describe someone who does not show respect to others.
n. an offensive display of self-importance or superiority; an overbearing pride that manifests as a lack of respect for others.
Examples
“His arrogance makes it very difficult to work with him.”
“The manager's arrogance led him to ignore the warnings of his staff, which eventually caused the project to fail.”
“While confidence is often seen as a professional asset, it can quickly sour into arrogance if one loses the ability to listen to dissenting opinions or acknowledge personal limitations.”
Examples
simple
“His arrogance makes it very difficult to work with him.”
contextual
“The manager's arrogance led him to ignore the warnings of his staff, which eventually caused the project to fail.”
complex
“While confidence is often seen as a professional asset, it can quickly sour into arrogance if one loses the ability to listen to dissenting opinions or acknowledge personal limitations.”
Usage
Uncountable in its abstract sense; frequently used as the subject or object of a sentence to describe a personality trait.
Real-World Examples
“He celebrated with a touch of arrogance that is so often the preserve of the special ones, staring down the Palace fans on the Holmesdale Road end.” “There’s definitely plenty of pride and self-assurance for being from Madrid, especially among gatos (cats, more on that below), but not enough to call it arrogance.” “Eurovision was being used to symbolise the arrogance of these dominant countries after the financial crash.” Etymology
From Middle English arrogaunce, from Middle French arrogance, from Latin arrogantia.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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