self-satisfaction

noun

ˌself-ˌsa-təs-ˈfak-shən How to pronounce self-satisfaction (audio)
Definition of self-satisfactionnext
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements so many of the Web site's self-portraits give the impression of clueless self-satisfaction

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of self-satisfaction There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 6 Jan. 2026 Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it. — Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 30 Nov. 2025 After a precise drone and cruise missile successfully hit Saudi Arabia’s vital oil infrastructure in September 2019, Russia could hardly conceal its delight and self-satisfaction. — Paul Iddon, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking. — David Brooks, Mercury News, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for self-satisfaction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-satisfaction
  1. vanity
  2. ego
  3. pride
  4. arrogance
  5. smugness
Noun
  • My suite was beyond spacious, with a full entryway with desk and wetbar giving way to a seating area; large, plush bed; then a closet and vanity area leading into a massive bathroom—which had a full soaking tub and two pedestal sinks.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • HomePop Clover Shaped Ottoman A decorative pouf can wear many hats—vanity seating, an extra chair for company, or even a foot stool in lieu of a chaise.
    — Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of vanity
Noun
  • Over the six episodes, alliances shift, egos clash, and pressure builds as the group shrinks.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The mercurial aspect of the ego wants so much to be validated, respected and understood for a pursuit.
    — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of ego
Noun
  • The 44-year-old first-time SEC coach has taken great pride in returning the edge that has been missing from Gainesville since Urban Meyer exited Alachua County back in December 2010.
    — Austin Perry OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Having held the reigning AFC Player of the Month in Walker to his lowest rushing total in 2026, the Dolphins can take pride that their run defense appears to be headed in the right direction.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of pride
Noun
  • Ilya is looking for work as an assistant, and the professor, with his dandyish nerd arrogance, tells him to look at a paper he’s written and come back in a few days.
    — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
  • This standalone novel looks at the cult of celebrity, the bond among parents and children, entitlement and arrogance, all wrapped into a tightly wound plot that’s an evocative historical steeped in the Great Depression.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrogance
Noun
  • That joke, which McNamara hits with a palpable sparkle of smugness, illustrates how deliciously blunt her comedic sensibility is.
    — Kathryn VanArendonk, Vulture, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Even if the movie gets a bit crazy in an apocalyptic epilogue, its picture of bourgeois smugness due for a takedown is delicious.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of smugness

Browse Nearby Words

selfsameness
self-satisfaction
self-satisfied
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Self-satisfaction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-satisfaction. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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