as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
so many of the Web site's self-portraits give the impression of clueless self-satisfaction
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Recent Examples of self-satisfaction
The situation gets even worse once Bonnie’s concerned parents try to connect their daughter with friends by buying her a Lilypad, a child-appropriate smart tablet in frog-like casing, voiced with slappably perky self-satisfaction by Greta Lee.
—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
After 50 minutes of self-satisfaction, the hero fades serenely into a sunset that Dudamel made miraculously mystical.
—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
There should be no smug self-satisfaction in the destructive power of bombs and deafening explosions.
—
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
My disappointment in Vigil came down to the waste of a perfect setup for exhibiting the worldly redemption of art—that is, its power to redeem us from insensitivity and self-satisfaction.
—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.
—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
30 Nov. 2025
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.
—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
After a precise drone and cruise missile successfully hit Saudi Arabia’s vital oil infrastructure in September 2019, Russia could hardly conceal its delight and self-satisfaction.
—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 June 2026
After 50 minutes of self-satisfaction, the hero fades serenely into a sunset that Dudamel made miraculously mystical.
—
Mark Swed,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
There should be no smug self-satisfaction in the destructive power of bombs and deafening explosions.
—
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
My disappointment in Vigil came down to the waste of a perfect setup for exhibiting the worldly redemption of art—that is, its power to redeem us from insensitivity and self-satisfaction.
—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.
—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.
—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
30 Nov. 2025
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.
—
Charna Flam,
PEOPLE,
25 Nov. 2025
After a precise drone and cruise missile successfully hit Saudi Arabia’s vital oil infrastructure in September 2019, Russia could hardly conceal its delight and self-satisfaction.
—
Paul Iddon,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-satisfaction
Noun
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The bathroom is nearby and contains a vanity sink, a walk-in shower, and an incinerating toilet – which literally turns waste into ash.
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The hotel’s wellness focus extends to the bathrooms, which boast walk-in showers, claw-foot soaking tubs, and double-sink marble vanities embellished with ornate gilt mirrors.
Noun
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Visitors would find artifacts such as the candlestand, where Washington chose humility over ego and began the peaceful transfer of power.
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The Aussie needed to have some amount of ego to achieve that confidence, something Wright didn’t have or realize.
Noun
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The history of Kaskaskia is full of stories of resilience and stubborn pride, but also of the inevitability of nature.
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Schlanger’s pride in his Jewishness forced Goldstein to reflect on her upbringing.
Noun
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Needless to say there was no second date, and, eventually though painfully, my own arrogance had some of its rough edges worn down.
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In Episode 3, Harris discussed the early arrogance of the founding fathers who made proposals for America's independence and questioned who was entitled to freedom.
Noun
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The demon was largely limited to one expression — smugness — and was inexplicably the only character who spoke Japanese.
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One widespread subspecies endemic to the area is the haughty Cardinal, recognized by its bright-red plumage and smugness about winning a dozen National League Central crowns.
Cite this Entry
“Self-satisfaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-satisfaction. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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