Cambridge English: CPE (C2 Proficiency) - Arrogance & Haughtiness

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brazen

[Adjective]

behaving without shame or fear and refusing to follow traditional rules or manners

Ex: The company's brazen advertising campaign pushed boundaries by addressing taboo subjects to attract attention.

blowhard

[noun]

a person who talks too much, often bragging loudly about themselves or their opinions

braggart

[noun]

a person who is always showing off the things they have in a way that may come across as annoying or exaggerated

Ex: She felt frustrated dealing with the braggart who kept flaunting his achievements .

cavalier

[Adjective]

showing an arrogant or dismissive attitude, often by treating serious matters lightly

Ex: Their cavalier treatment of the rules led to trouble .

effrontery

[noun]

a way of behaving that is shamelessly rude and bold

Ex: She was embarrassed by the effrontery of her friend ’s behavior at the dinner party .

overweening

[Adjective]

having too much pride or confidence in oneself

Ex: They resented his overweening belief that he was always right .

pedantic

[Adjective]

focused too much on minor details or rules in learning, often showing off knowledge in a way that feels narrow or overly concerned with trivial points

Ex: Critics called the book pedantic, praising its accuracy but not its readability.

priggish

[Adjective]

excessively concerned with following rules, morals, and social norms

Ex: The priggish neighbor always complained about the noise , even though the party was well within the noise ordinance .

snooty

[Adjective]

behaving in a snobbish, disdainful manner, often showing a sense of superiority toward others

Ex: Despite his snooty behavior , his lack of genuine accomplishments was evident to those around him .

hubris

[noun]

an unreasonably excessive amount of pride or arrogance

Ex: The hero ’s hubris ultimately led to his tragic end .

imperious

[Adjective]

having an unpleasantly proud and arrogant demeanor, displaying a demand for obedience

Ex: The manager ’s imperious demands created a tense atmosphere among the staff .

sanctimonious

[Adjective]

attempting to showcase how one believes to be morally or religiously superior

Ex: The sanctimonious nature of his public persona was at odds with his private actions .

temerity

[noun]

the quality of being foolishly or rudely bold

Ex: She could n’t believe the temerity required to make such bold claims in the report .

bombast

[noun]

pretentious speech or writing that sounds impressive but lacks real substance

Ex: Beneath the bombast, there was little genuine emotion .

acerbic

[Adjective]

bitingly sarcastic and often cruel in tone or temper

Ex: Her acerbic response to the suggestion was both surprising and painful for those who heard it .

grandiloquent

[Adjective]

expressing oneself in a lofty or overly elaborate manner to impress others

Ex: His grandiloquent attitude at the party made it clear he wanted everyone to know about his recent success.

pejorative

[Adjective]

having a negative or belittling connotation

Ex: She rolled her eyes at the pejorative nickname they gave her .

reproachful

[Adjective]

showing disapproval, blame, or disappointment, often as a way to correct or remind someone of their fault

Ex: The dog hung its head under its owner 's reproachful stare .

scurrilous

[Adjective]

deliberately insulting in a way that damages someone's reputation

Ex: Lawyers are preparing to file a lawsuit to stop the scurrilous spread of false information about their client .

vitriolic

[Adjective]

characterized by bitter, harsh, and caustic criticism or comments

Ex: His vitriolic remarks during the debate were meant to provoke and insult .

vituperative

[Adjective]

criticizing or insulting in a hurtful and angry manner

Ex: His vituperative criticism of the team ’s performance was both hurtful and uncalled for .

officious

[Adjective]

self-important and very eager to give orders or help when it is not wanted, or needed

Ex: His officious manner during the meeting irritated everyone .

obtrusive

[Adjective]

noticeable in a way that is unpleasant, unwanted, or disruptive

Ex: The obtrusive noise from the construction site disrupted the peaceful neighborhood .

chauvinist

[noun]

someone who strongly believes that their gender, race, country, or group is superior

Ex: The chauvinist refused to acknowledge the achievements of anyone outside his own country .

egotist

[noun]

someone who talks or thinks about themselves constantly and believes they are superior to others

Ex: An egotist often struggles to understand others ' perspectives , focusing primarily on their own viewpoint .

megalomania

[noun]

a psychological condition or personality trait characterized by an inflated sense of power, importance, or self-worth

Ex: Critics accused the artist of megalomania after he declared his work " the future of humanity . "

Cambridge English: CPE (C2 Proficiency)

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