Word
hubristic
Meanings
Having too much pride or confidence; arrogantly overconfident.
Definition
Showing excessive pride and confidence, often in a way that leads to mistakes.
Hubristic describes someone who is overly proud and sure of their own abilities or importance. It often suggests an arrogant attitude that ignores limits, advice, or potential risks. Because of this overconfidence, hubristic decisions can end in failure or backlash.
Examples
- I found his hubristic certainty unsettling, especially when the data clearly contradicted him.
- You sound hubristic when you dismiss every concern as if it were beneath you.
- She regretted her hubristic speech after the project collapsed under basic, predictable constraints.
- They faced fierce criticism for a hubristic rebrand that ignored what loyal customers actually valued.
Common mistake
Learners often confuse "hubristic" with "humble" because of the similar sound, but "hubristic" means overly proud, not modest.
More at C1 level
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- xenophobia Xenophobia is a strong dislike or fear of people from other countries or cultures.
- genocide Genocide is the deliberate killing of a large number of people from a particular group in order to …
- conundrum A conundrum is a confusing and difficult problem to solve.
- pretentious Trying to seem more important, intelligent, or cultured than you really are.
More adjectives
- agnostic An agnostic is someone who does not claim to know whether God exists.
- pragmatic Pragmatic means focused on practical results rather than ideals or theories.
- ubiquitous Present, appearing, or found everywhere at the same time.
- cynical Cynical describes believing that people are mainly motivated by self-interest and not sincere.
- apathetic Apathetic means showing little or no interest, concern, or enthusiasm.