Arrogant
/ˈærəɡənt/
adjectiveB2
Definition
Arrogant means having too much pride in yourself and believing you are better than other people. It often shows in how someone talks or acts, making others feel that the person is rude or disrespectful because they do not listen or accept other opinions.
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⚡ See It in Action
Showing too much pride or self-importance
- •He was so arrogant that he never listened to anyone else's ideas.
- •The arrogant student talked as if he knew everything.
- •Her arrogant behavior made it hard for her to make friends.
Acting in a way that seems rude because of thinking oneself better
- •The manager's arrogant tone upset the employees.
- •Don't be arrogant when you win; be kind to others.
- •Sometimes, people mistake confidence for arrogance.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "arrogant" like "proud," but with a negative feeling—it is pride that makes someone act as if others are less important.
- ✓Picture someone walking with their nose high in the air, looking down on others.
- ✓It's the feeling when someone talks only about themselves and does not care about what others say.
- ✓Sounds like "AIR-uh-gunt" → imagine air going up high, like someone’s head is in the air, too high to see others.
- ✓Think of a character in stories who always thinks they are the smartest and ignores advice from friends.
- ✓NOT like "confident" (which is positive and healthy), arrogant is too much confidence that feels bad to others.
- ✓NOT like "humble" (which means modest and not proud), arrogant is the opposite, showing too much pride.
- ✓NOT like "shy" (quiet and unsure), arrogant is loud and sure but in a way that pushes others away.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Conceited: thinking too highly of oneself (Use when focusing on someone’s self-love or vanity)
- •Haughty: behaving in a way that shows you think you are better than others (Use in formal or literary contexts)
- •Cocky: informal word for being too confident and annoying (Use in casual speech)
- •Overconfident: having more confidence than is good or realistic (Use when confidence is too strong but not necessarily rude)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: "arrog-" (from Latin "arrogare" meaning "to claim for oneself") + "-ant" (adjective suffix meaning "having the quality of")
- •Etymology: From Latin "arrogantem," meaning claiming something for oneself without right
- •Historical development: The word entered English in the late 1500s, originally meaning to claim or demand something unfairly, later describing proud, rude behavior
- •Modern usage: Used to describe people who act too proud or self-important, often in a negative way
💭 Reflect & Connect
•Can confidence become arrogance? How can you tell the difference between being confident and being arrogant?
•Have you ever met someone who seemed arrogant but was actually just shy or unsure inside? How did that change your view of them?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.People act arrogant when they believe they are ___ better than others without reason.
2.An arrogant person often ___ other people's ideas or feelings.
3.Unlike confident people, arrogant individuals usually do not ___ advice or help.
4.Saying "I am the best" in a kind way is confidence, but saying it to make others feel ___ is arrogance.
5.When someone is arrogant, they might speak ___ or in a way that shows they think they are more important.
6.Arrogant behavior can ___ friendships because others feel disrespected or ignored.
7.Sometimes, people confuse arrogance with ___, but one is positive and the other is negative.