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“The overweening conceit which the greater part of men have of their own abilities is an ancient evil remarked by the philosophers and moralists of all ages.” So wrote the Scottish philosopher Adam Smith in The Wealth of Nations. But while overweening conceit might be an age-old evil, the word overweening is of 14th century vintage. It developed from a form of the Middle English verb overwenen, meaning “to be arrogant.” That term built on wenen, meaning “to think” or “to suppose.” Today, the adjective overweening is the most widely used of the wenen descendants, but historical texts also occasionally include the verb overween, meaning “to think too highly of one’s own opinion.” It was also possible at one time to ween just enough, without overdoing it. All things in moderation—even self-esteem—after all.
Synonyms
Examples of overweening in a Sentence
Justin Davidson, Curbed, 18 Dec. 2024
The beat is Opium-level rage, but a techno track slips in early like the cross-channel bleed of an overweening radio station.
—Pitchfork, 2 Dec. 2024
If his government does not manage to do so, Modi’s desire to play a greater role in the international system will be confounded by China’s overweening presence, both at the border and within India.
—Harsh V. Pant, Foreign Affairs, 14 Nov. 2024
And while there’s a variety of technology on the market designed to address this group, to which my partner and I belong, a lot of it seems somewhat overweening—and doesn’t really work.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 17 July 2024
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Dictionary Entries Near overweening
Cite this Entry
“Overweening.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overweening. Accessed 29 Dec. 2024.
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overweening
adjective
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