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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Instead, the grande dame of hospitality was replaced by an overweening, obscenely tall, utterly out of place, speculative supertall skyscraper: the Empire State Building.
—
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 July 2025
But an overweening chorus of voices—from legislators, media, and civilian organizations—declared that, unlike white citizens of German and Italian descent, danger lurked in Japanese American bodies.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
The doctrine itself has had all manner of ill effects on the capacity of employers to apply race-neutral or gender-neutral standards of qualification and fitness, and replaced the concept of an equal opportunity employer with the overweening human resources departments that gave us DEI.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
Iraqi nationalism is the ultimate hedge against Iran’s overweening ambitions; no Iraqi wishes for his or her country to become a pawn of Iran.
—Linda S. Robinson, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for overweening
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 10 July 2025
But an overweening chorus of voices—from legislators, media, and civilian organizations—declared that, unlike white citizens of German and Italian descent, danger lurked in Japanese American bodies.
—Literary Hub, 12 May 2025
The doctrine itself has had all manner of ill effects on the capacity of employers to apply race-neutral or gender-neutral standards of qualification and fitness, and replaced the concept of an equal opportunity employer with the overweening human resources departments that gave us DEI.
—The Editors, National Review, 25 Apr. 2025
Iraqi nationalism is the ultimate hedge against Iran’s overweening ambitions; no Iraqi wishes for his or her country to become a pawn of Iran.
—Linda S. Robinson, Foreign Affairs, 12 Aug. 2019
See All Example Sentences for overweening
Recent Examples of Synonyms for overweening
Adjective
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But that poem is no smug cliché.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Marcello is looking especially smug and evil in this scene for reasons unclear.—
Jessica M. Goldstein,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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Commissioners dismissed the allegations related to donor information but found that Ellis had accepted excessive contributions.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The restrictions, known as a consent decree, were a result of a 2017 lawsuit over excessive use of solitary confinement and pepper spray on inmates.—
Molly Beck,
jsonline.com,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Oversized fits—from bomber jackets and cow-print fleece coordinates to wide-leg jeans—were balanced with boots with inflated toes and straps.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
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The ball itself was usually an inflated animal bladder, like a cow bladder, explains Louis Moore, a professor at Michigan State University, who teaches sports history.—
Jaclyn Diaz,
NPR,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But the reaction is just as vast, and even more persistent, Angela was proud to tell me about Moon Palace’s place as a node in a larger community network.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Now 32, the Canadian is the proud owner of 25 X Games medals, including 14 gold total and eight in the slopestyle discipline.—
Michelle Bruton,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Engineers can test extreme scenarios without physical risk.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
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Research has shown that images of extreme violence can impact mental health, increasing symptoms of anxiety and depression.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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An international research team has identified electrochemical presodiation as the superior strategy for stabilizing a new generation of low-cost sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) derived from lavender flower waste.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Jan. 2026
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Brat Your Enthusiasm might be a superior alt-title.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The result is exaggerated price moves, especially in smaller precious metals markets, where relatively modest inflows can push prices sharply higher, making the rally feel detached from traditional supply-and-demand dynamics.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
29 Jan. 2026
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Rowland maintained the sharp lines of the shoes and paired them with an oversize sculptural jacket with exaggerated lapels, with nothing underneath.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/overweening. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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