overweening
Americanadjective
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presumptuously conceited, overconfident, or proud.
a brash, insolent, overweening fellow.
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exaggerated, excessive, or arrogant.
overweening prejudice; overweening pride.
adjective
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(of a person) excessively arrogant or presumptuous
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(of opinions, appetites, etc) excessive; immoderate
Other Word Forms
- overweeningly adverb
- overweeningness noun
Etymology
Origin of overweening
1300–50; Middle English overwening ( e ) (gerund); overween, -ing 2
Explanation
Overweening is a negative term meaning arrogant or excessive. People can be described as having overweening pride or overweening ambition. It's too much and not good. Confidence and pride are okay in moderation. Overweening means having too much of it though so that it overtakes the rest of your personality, and not in a good way. If your football team has won every game of the season, they need to watch that they don't become overweening and start playing games as if they have already won.
Vocabulary lists containing overweening
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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The Odyssey
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100 SAT words Beginning with "O"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mr. Sottile’s Johnny exudes a warm bonhomie, embracing Linda and Ned’s smoldering rebelliousness, but also showing sincere affection for Julia, whom Ms. Griggs makes likable despite her overweening ambition.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026
But what about Lara Trump whose desire to be a "star" is so overweening that you'd think even Donald Trump would cringe in embarrassment.
From Salon • Feb. 14, 2024
It’s as if their mother’s overweening nature couldn’t be defeated; it could only be eclipsed.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 3, 2023
A former restaurant tycoon turned mercenary leader, Prigozhin was done in by some of his most famous traits—brazen imprudence, overweening self-confidence, and blithe gullibility toward his own P.R.
From Slate • Jul. 1, 2023
The arrogance of that overweening little jerk is simply overwhelming. palate/palette/pallet.
From "Woe Is I" by Patricia T. O'Conner
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
