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You affront someone by openly and intentionally offending or insulting him.
If you describe a person’s behavior as brazen, you mean that they are not embarrassed by anything they do—they simply don’t care what other people think about them.
Bumptious people are annoying because they are too proud of their abilities or opinions—they are full of themselves.
If you are chary of doing something, you are cautious or timid about doing it because you are afraid that something bad will happen.
Someone who possesses conceit has excessive self-pride—and thus thinks too highly of their abilities.
If you describe someone, usually a young woman, as demure, you mean that she is quiet, shy, and always behaves modestly.
Someone who is diffident is shy, does not want to draw notice to themselves, and is lacking in self-confidence.
Effrontery is very rude behavior that shows a great lack of respect and is often insulting.
An egotistical person thinks about or is concerned with no one else other than themself.
When someone flaunts their good looks, they show them off or boast about them in a very proud and shameless way.
Hauteur is the spirit of someone who is proud, unfriendly, and arrogant.
If someone is impassive, they are not showing any emotion.
Someone who is imperious behaves in a proud, overbearing, and highly confident manner that shows they expect to be obeyed without question.
If someone behaves in an impertinent way, they behave rudely and disrespectfully.
If someone demonstrates impudence, they behave in a very rude or disrespectful way.
Something that is inconspicuous does not attract attention and is not easily seen or noticed because it is small or ordinary.
Something that inhibits you from doing something restricts or keeps you from doing it.
When you behave with moderation, you live in a balanced and measured way; you do nothing to excess.
Someone is overweening when they are not modest; rather, they think way too much of themselves and let everyone know about it.
If someone patronizes you, they talk or behave in a way that seems friendly; nevertheless, they also act as if they were more intelligent or important than you are.
To be politic in a decision is to be socially wise and diplomatic.
If you are pompous, you think that you are better than other people; therefore, you tend to show off and be highly egocentric.
When you are presumptuous, you act improperly, rudely, or without respect, especially while attempting to do something that is not socially acceptable or that you are not qualified to do.
People who are reticent are unwilling to share information, especially about themselves, their thoughts, or their feelings.
When you strut, you move as though you own the world by walking in a confident and showy fashion.
If you behave in a supercilious way, you act as if you were more important or better than everyone else.
To act with temerity is to act in a carelessly and irresponsibly bold way.
If you show temperance, you limit yourself so that you don’t do too much of something; you act in a controlled and well-balanced way.
Someone who is unassuming is not boastful or arrogant; rather, they are modest or humble.
If someone acts in an unobtrusive way, their actions are not easily noticed and do not stand out in any way.
If you are vainglorious, you are very proud of yourself and let other people know about it.
Noun
hubris
HYOO-bris
Context
Greek drama often tells the story of a man brought down by his own hubris, illustrating the idea that excessive pride comes before a fall. The authors tell us that it is human nature not to recognize one’s own hubris or flawed, enormous pride. The more power one acquires the more likely one is to fall into hubris or blind self-importance.
Quiz:Try again!
Which of the following quotes expresses a negative opinion of hubris?
“He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.”—Buddha.
“The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves . . .”—Bertrand Russell.
“Hate, it has caused a lot of problems in this world, but it has not solved one yet.” –Maya Angelou.
HubRising "Hey everyone, do you see my cool new hubcaps? Man, these hubcaps so rock, and they are brighter than the sun rising. Because I have such awesome hubcaps, man, I'm too cool for all of you." And in such a way did Boastful Bob's hubris cost him his gorgeous wife because she was sick and tired of him bragging about his stupid hubcaps that were supposedly brighter than the rising sun.
Examples
The ancient Greeks, though they never had to hit a knuckle-curve or a four-seam fastball, saw it coming 2,500 years ago. They called it hubris: overbearing pride, with fatal retribution lying in wait.
—
The New York Times
What the future will actually bring is unknown, as technology’s "hype versus promise" divide is an old story, worsened by hubris.
—
Los Angeles Times
Lack of planning, hubris, confused thinking and a complete void as to the consequences were the fatal flaws in the partition plan, writes Ms. Khan.
—
The Economist
Word Ingredients
From a root word meaning “wanton violence, outrage, insolence.” If one demonstrates hubris, one’s excessive self-importance is a form of “insolence” or “outrage” upon acceptable behavior and social norms.
