self-flattery
noun
self-flat·tery
ˌself-ˈfla-tə-rē 
: the glossing over of one's own weaknesses or mistakes and the exaggeration of one's own good qualities and achievements
Examples of self-flattery in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
This approach mixes the self-flattery of some older histories with frank acknowledgment of the many ways in which America has fallen short of its ideals, incorporating the critical scholarship of recent decades.
—
Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
But that is a bit of self-flattery.
—Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Certainty that none of our contemporary policy commitments are morally faulty or practically misguided has little foundation beyond self-flattery.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
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Yoni Appelbaum, The Atlantic, 8 June 2026
But that is a bit of self-flattery.
—Jamelle Bouie, Mercury News, 8 Jan. 2026
Certainty that none of our contemporary policy commitments are morally faulty or practically misguided has little foundation beyond self-flattery.
—Eric Levitz, Vox, 15 May 2024
Cite this Entry
“Self-flattery.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/self-flattery. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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