arrogance
B2Formal to neutral. Common in written critique, political commentary, and everyday descriptions of negative character traits.
Definition
Meaning
The quality of being arrogant; having an exaggerated sense of one's own importance or abilities that shows a lack of respect for other people.
Arrogance extends beyond simple confidence to an offensive display of superiority, entitlement, or self-importance. It implies a dismissive attitude towards others' opinions, feelings, or rights.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
A strongly negative, pejorative term. It denotes a character trait, not a temporary state. Contrast with 'pride' (which can be neutral or positive) and 'confidence' (generally positive).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. The word is used identically.
Connotations
Identical strong negative connotations in both varieties.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both BrE and AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject]'s arrogance + verb (shocked/angered/alienated)The arrogance of [NP] + verbArrogance led to [NP/Event]To be accused of arroganceArrogance towards/toward someoneVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Arrogance comes before a fall.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used to critique leadership styles or corporate culture, e.g., 'The CEO's arrogance led to poor decision-making and high staff turnover.'
Academic
Used in social sciences, philosophy, and literary criticism to describe characters, historical figures, or ideological positions.
Everyday
Common in describing people who are rude, dismissive, or think they are better than others.
Technical
Not typically a technical term, though 'hubris' is used in psychology and classical studies with a similar, more specific meaning.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The verb is 'arrogate' (to claim without justification), not directly from 'arrogance'. Example: 'He arrogated to himself the right to make all decisions.'
American English
- The verb is 'arrogate' (to claim without justification), not directly from 'arrogance'. Example: 'She arrogated power that wasn't hers.'
adverb
British English
- He spoke arrogantly to the staff.
- She arrogantly dismissed their concerns.
American English
- He acted arrogantly during the meeting.
- She waved her hand arrogantly.
adjective
British English
- His arrogant behaviour lost him the promotion.
- She gave an arrogant smirk.
American English
- His arrogant behavior cost him the deal.
- It was an arrogant thing to say.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- He is not friendly. He has a lot of arrogance.
- I don't like his arrogance. He thinks he is always right.
- Her arrogance makes it difficult to work with her.
- The politician's arrogance eventually led to his downfall.
- The company failed due to the sheer arrogance of its management, who ignored market changes.
- His intellectual arrogance prevented him from considering alternative viewpoints, thereby limiting his research.
- The cultural arrogance of the colonizers was manifest in their dismissal of indigenous knowledge systems.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a ROARing lion (the 'arro' sound) who thinks he's the king of everything – that's ARROGANCE.
Conceptual Metaphor
ARROGANCE IS BEING ABOVE OTHERS (e.g., 'he looks down on everyone', 'her nose is in the air', 'lofty disdain').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'гордость' (pride), which is more neutral. Closer equivalents are 'высокомерие', 'надменность', 'заносчивость'. 'Самоуверенность' is closer to overconfidence, not necessarily with the contempt for others that arrogance implies.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'arrogance' (noun) with 'arrogant' (adjective) in sentence structure, e.g., 'He is arrogance.' (incorrect) vs. 'He has arrogance.' / 'He is arrogant.' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the BEST synonym for 'arrogance' in the context of 'the arrogance of power'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Confidence is a positive belief in one's abilities, often grounded in reality. Arrogance is an exaggerated sense of superiority that involves looking down on others.
Yes, in modern English usage, 'arrogance' is a pejorative term describing a negative character flaw. It is not used positively.
Yes, it is commonly used in phrases like 'corporate arrogance', 'cultural arrogance', or 'the arrogance of the ruling class' to describe a collective attitude of superiority.
It comes from the Latin 'arrogantia', from 'arrogare' meaning 'to claim for oneself'. It entered English via Old French.