Cockiness: meaning, definitions and examples

Used when describing someone who is overly confident in a way that is annoying or unwarranted.

• His cockiness was evident when he bragged about his unverified skills

Used when referring to someone who has an exaggerated sense of their own importance or abilities, often leading to looking down on others.

• Her arrogance made it difficult for her to make friends at work

Used when stating that someone has excessive confidence, often leading to mistakes or failures due to a lack of caution.

• His overconfidence led him to attempt the exam without studying, resulting in poor marks

Used to depict a strong, unwarranted belief in one's own abilities or value, often leading to vanity. This term often carries a negative connotation.

• His conceit prevented him from acknowledging any flaws in his plan

Used when describing a person who is disdainfully proud and behaves as if they are superior to others. This term also carries a strong negative connotation.

• Her haughtiness was clear when she refused to speak to anyone she considered beneath her

Often used when someone is overly confident in a way that can be annoying or disrespectful. It has a negative connotation.

• His cockiness made him a difficult teammate to work with

Describes someone who is excessively self-centered or self-important. It is negative and often linked to selfish behavior.

• His egotism was obvious when he started talking only about his achievements in the meeting

Indicates excessive pride in one's appearance or achievements, often superficial. It has a negative connotation.

• Her vanity made her spend hours in front of the mirror every day

Often describes a confident and sometimes aggressive way of walking or behaving. It can be used positively or negatively based on the context.

• He walked into the room with a confident swagger
• / His swagger annoyed everyone at the meeting

Can be positive or negative, depending on the situation. Positive when someone has a healthy self-respect, negative when it becomes arrogance.

• She took great pride in her work
• / His pride made it hard for him to admit he was wrong