as in jerk
a person who believes that he or she has unlimited power or importance
Their CEO is a real megalomaniac who feels she can partake in any luxury with the company's profits.
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Recent Examples of megalomaniac
Stark, having been elected governor and already well along in his fateful descent from an idealistic man of the people to an entirely corrupt megalomaniac, is on the way to visit his childhood home.
—
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
And leading the country is a megalomaniac — Anthony Starr’s always riveting Homelander — who might be going insane.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Trump has a child’s attention span, a megalomaniac’s urge for a ribbon cutting before his term ends, zero willingness to listen to anyone who doesn not agree with him, and — most of all — an unshakable belief that his taste and judgment is far better than any arts commission’s.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
Henry is a megalomaniac and a complete wuss.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
There are still many in this country who value truth, who believe that history should be preserved and not erased, who understand that constitutional rights should not be swept away to suit the whims of a megalomaniac, and who refuse to wallow in ignorance and hate.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Pierre Bergé called me a megalomaniac and threw me out the next season.
—James Fallon, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
The Houthis are led by a family of clerical megalomaniacs who have been prophesying apocalyptic war since the early 2000s.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Jill Lepore, New Yorker, 12 May 2026
And leading the country is a megalomaniac — Anthony Starr’s always riveting Homelander — who might be going insane.
—James Hibberd, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2026
Trump has a child’s attention span, a megalomaniac’s urge for a ribbon cutting before his term ends, zero willingness to listen to anyone who doesn not agree with him, and — most of all — an unshakable belief that his taste and judgment is far better than any arts commission’s.
—Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 1 Apr. 2026
Henry is a megalomaniac and a complete wuss.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 23 Feb. 2026
There are still many in this country who value truth, who believe that history should be preserved and not erased, who understand that constitutional rights should not be swept away to suit the whims of a megalomaniac, and who refuse to wallow in ignorance and hate.
—Dp Opinion, Denver Post, 11 Feb. 2026
Pierre Bergé called me a megalomaniac and threw me out the next season.
—James Fallon, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
The Houthis are led by a family of clerical megalomaniacs who have been prophesying apocalyptic war since the early 2000s.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 2 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for megalomaniac
Noun
-
Search the internet and there are coaches and players spotted sniffing the ammonia inhalants before a game, with their instant reactions — a noticeable head jerk or contorted face — going viral.—
Jason Jones,
New York Times,
15 May 2026
-
Hethington didn’t want to cannibalize his menu with the dish, instead compromising with a jerk lamb shank, and a whole Chinese Trini chicken, an homage to the popular takeout food in Trinidad.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
14 May 2026
Noun
-
The royal bride completed the look with a glamorous updo by Hollywood stylist Serge Normant, dangling earrings and custom satin Aquazurra heels with baby blue soles.—
Janine Henni,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
-
One last pop comes via the heel’s Jumpman, which appears in gold-tone metal with a diamond-like jewel for the basketball.—
Ian Servantes,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
Noun
-
In the end, Bill Skarsgård returned as the horrifying clown Pennywise, which was always the plan from the start.—
Emily Longeretta,
Variety,
11 May 2026
-
Even a rival gave kudos — kind of — to the clown.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Clooney might be known as the joker of the two.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
22 May 2026
-
Like any public hearing, there were a few jokers who had some strange outbursts, but the majority of the over a dozen speakers weren’t satisfied with Gower’s presentation and used their times to ask questions of the owners as to what has taken so long with this project.—
Brian Welk,
IndieWire,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Megalomaniac.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/megalomaniac. Accessed 25 May. 2026.
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