Idioms are fun phrases that mean something different from the actual words inside them. People use them to make talking and writing more colorful and interesting. Today you will learn fifty helpful idioms that describe people who are arrogant and full of pride.
In this lesson, we will look at idioms that mean acting too proud or thinking you are better than everyone else. Let’s get started and explore some of these helpful expressions.
Idioms for Arrogant
1. High and mighty
Definition: Acting as if you are much more important than other people around you.
Used in a Sentence: She walked into the room acting all high and mighty and ignored her old friends. / Do not be so high and mighty just because you won the spelling bee.
Similar Expressions: Stuck up / Full of yourself
2. On a high horse
Definition: Behaving in a proud and superior way toward people.
Used in a Sentence: Get off your high horse and listen to what your teammates have to say. / He has been on a high horse ever since he got the lead role in the play.
Similar Expressions: Condescending / Overbearing
3. Full of hot air
Definition: Talking big and boasting about things you cannot actually do.
Used in a Sentence: Do not listen to his big promises because he is just full of hot air. / He claims he can beat anyone in a race, but he is full of hot air.
Similar Expressions: All talk / Bragging
4. Know it all
Definition: Someone who acts like they know everything and refuses to listen.
Used in a Sentence: Nobody wanted to work with him on the project because he was such a know it all. / She always interrupts the teacher because she tries to act like a know it all.
Similar Expressions: Smart aleck / Wise guy
5. Too big for your boots
Definition: Being way too proud of yourself and thinking you are better than you are.
Used in a Sentence: He got a promotion and now he is getting too big for his boots. / Calm down and do not get too big for your boots just because you scored one goal.
Similar Expressions: Cocky / Arrogant
6. Stuck up
Definition: Behaving as if you are too good to talk to ordinary people.
Used in a Sentence: She looked down her nose at my old sneakers and acted very stuck up. / Do not act stuck up just because your family has a newer car.
Similar Expressions: Snobbish / Haughty
7. Swelled head
Definition: Having a too-large ego because of praise or success.
Used in a Sentence: Winning the award gave him a swelled head and he stopped practicing. / Her friends had to ground her swelled head after she won the contest.
Similar Expressions: Big ego / Vain
8. Look down your nose
Definition: Treating others with disrespect as if they are beneath you.
Used in a Sentence: It is not nice to look down your nose at people who dress differently. / He tends to look down his nose at anyone who does not play sports.
Similar Expressions: Scorn / Disdain
9. Blow your own horn
Definition: Constantly boasting about your own skills and achievements.
Used in a Sentence: Stop blowing your own horn and let someone else share good news. / She loves to blow her own horn every time she gets a good grade.
Similar Expressions: Show off / Brag
10. Lord it over
Definition: Acting like a bossy ruler over people who are your peers.
Used in a Sentence: He loves to lord it over his younger siblings whenever their parents leave. / She tries to lord it over the rest of the club members during meetings.
Similar Expressions: Boss around / Dominate
11. Walk on water
Definition: Believing that you are so perfect that you can do no wrong.
Used in a Sentence: He acts like he can walk on water just because the coach likes him. / Nobody can walk on water, so we all make mistakes sometimes.
Similar Expressions: Flawless / Untouchable
12. Big fish in a small pond
Definition: An important person in a small place who acts overly proud.
Used in a Sentence: He was a big fish in a small pond at his old school, but college humbled him. / She felt like a big fish in a small pond running the local club.
Similar Expressions: Big shot / Important person
13. Smart aleck
Definition: Someone who acts overly clever and shows off their knowledge rudely.
Used in a Sentence: The teacher told the smart aleck to raise his hand instead of shouting. / Do not be a smart aleck when the coach is trying to give serious directions.
Similar Expressions: Wise guy / Smartypants
14. Puttin on airs
Definition: Pretending to be much richer or more important than you really are.
Used in a Sentence: She wore a fake fur coat to school just for puttin on airs. / Stop puttin on airs and just wear your normal comfortable clothes.
Similar Expressions: Fake / Showy
15. Bursting with pride
Definition: Feeling an extreme and boastful amount of self-satisfaction.
Used in a Sentence: He stood on stage bursting with pride after telling everyone he was the best. / She was bursting with pride and refused to accept any help.
Similar Expressions: Self-satisfied / Gloating
16. Up on a pedestal
Definition: Placing yourself above everyone else as if you are perfect.
Used in a Sentence: He put himself up on a pedestal and refused to talk to the rest of the team. / It is hard to stay up on a pedestal when everyone sees you make a mistake.
Similar Expressions: Idolized / Superior
17. Big shot
Definition: Someone who acts like a very powerful and important leader.
Used in a Sentence: He walks around the hallway like a big shot, but he is just a regular student. / Do not act like a big shot just because you organized one bake sale.
Similar Expressions: VIP / Head honcho
18. Untouchable
Definition: Believing you are so great that rules and punishments do not apply to you.
Used in a Sentence: He thought he was untouchable until the teacher caught him cheating. / She acted untouchable because her older brother was the star player.
Similar Expressions: Supreme / Above the law
19. Full of himself
Definition: Thinking you are the most handsome or clever person in the room.
Used in a Sentence: He spent the whole party looking in the mirror because he is so full of himself. / Everyone groaned when he started talking because he is always full of himself.
Similar Expressions: Egotistical / Self-centered
20. Too smart for your own good
Definition: Acting overly clever in a way that causes trouble or shows arrogance.
Used in a Sentence: He thought he was too smart for your own good and skipped studying for the test. / Being too smart for your own good will only get you into trouble with the rules.
Similar Expressions: Overconfident / Clever clogs
21. Walking on air
Definition: Floating with pride and acting superior after a minor success.
Used in a Sentence: He has been walking on air since the principal praised his drawing. / She is walking on air and won’t even say hello to her lab partner.
Similar Expressions: Cocky / Smug
22. Cock of the walk
Definition: A person who acts like they rule the place and are better than everyone else.
Used in a Sentence: He struts around the playground like the cock of the walk during recess. / She acts like the cock of the walk whenever her art project wins first place.
Similar Expressions: Head of the pack / Ruler
23. Know-it-all attitude
Definition: An annoying manner of showing off how much you think you know.
Used in a Sentence: Put away your know-it-all attitude and let your partner share an idea. / His know-it-all attitude makes it hard for other kids to talk to him.
Similar Expressions: Arrogance / Pride
24. Puffed up
Definition: Filled with a false sense of importance and pride.
Used in a Sentence: He looked all puffed up after winning the video game tournament. / She was puffed up with pride when the teacher read her essay out loud.
Similar Expressions: Boastful / Vain
25. Walking tall
Definition: Walking with an exaggerated sense of pride and superiority.
Used in a Sentence: He was walking tall after scoring a lucky goal in soccer practice. / Do not start walking tall just because you got lucky on one math problem.
Similar Expressions: Swaggering / Strutting
26. Putting on dog
Definition: Showing off wealth or importance in an arrogant way.
Used in a Sentence: They bought expensive clothes just for putting on dog at the school dance. / Stop putting on dog and just be your normal friendly self.
Similar Expressions: Showboating / Flaunting
27. Looking down from the clouds
Definition: Acting as if you live above regular people because you are superior.
Used in a Sentence: He talks to us like he is looking down from the clouds. / Come down from the clouds and join our group project.
Similar Expressions: Aloof / Detached
28. Smart cookie
Definition: Sometimes used sarcastically to describe someone acting too clever.
Used in a Sentence: Oh, you think you are a smart cookie, do you? / He tried to act like a smart cookie by fixing the computer, but he broke it more.
Similar Expressions: Smarty / Wise guy
29. Top dog
Definition: Acting like the absolute ruler who controls everyone else.
Used in a Sentence: He thinks he is the top dog of the science club just because he joined first. / She likes to act like the top dog when choosing games at recess.
Similar Expressions: Boss / Leader
30. King of the castle
Definition: Believing you rule a place and are better than anyone else there.
Used in a Sentence: He stood on top of the jungle gym acting like king of the castle. / She felt like king of the castle after winning the spelling championship.
Similar Expressions: Ruler / Master
31. Playing the grand master
Definition: Acting like a wise expert who looks down on beginners.
Used in a Sentence: He spent chess club playing the grand master instead of helping us learn. / Stop playing the grand master and explain the rules nicely.
Similar Expressions: Showing off / Patronizing
32. Sitting on a throne
Definition: Behaving as if you are royalty while everyone else is below you.
Used in a Sentence: She sat at the lunch table acting like she was sitting on a throne. / Get off your imaginary throne and help clean up the classroom.
Similar Expressions: Royalty / Snob
33. Big fish
Definition: An arrogant person who acts like they run the entire show.
Used in a Sentence: He thinks he is a big fish in our little art class. / Stop acting like a big fish and listen to what the teacher wants.
Similar Expressions: Important person / Leader
34. Whiz kid
Definition: An overly proud young person who boasts about being smart.
Used in a Sentence: The self-proclaimed whiz kid failed the simple quiz because he did not study. / He acts like a little whiz kid every time he answers a math question.
Similar Expressions: Genius / Show-off
35. Too grand for us
Definition: Acting too important or fancy to hang out with regular friends.
Used in a Sentence: Look who decided to show up, are you too grand for us now? / She became too grand for us after she joined the debate team.
Similar Expressions: Too good / Snobbish
36. Walking on eggs
Definition: Incorrectly used by arrogant people who think everyone must handle them with extreme care.
Used in a Sentence: He thinks we should be walking on eggs around him because he is the team captain. / She acts like everyone else should be walking on eggs when she is in a bad mood.
Similar Expressions: Delicate / Demanding
37. Lord and master
Definition: Acting like an absolute ruler over your friends or classmates.
Used in a Sentence: He walked around the playground acting like the lord and master of the swings. / She thinks she is the lord and master of our group project.
Similar Expressions: Commander / Dictator
38. Full of himself
Definition: Having an ego so big that you only care about your own greatness.
Used in a Sentence: He is so full of himself that he forgot to thank his teammates. / I cannot stand talking to him because he is always full of himself.
Similar Expressions: Egotistical / Self-absorbed
39. High-hat
Definition: Treating people with rude pride and acting superior.
Used in a Sentence: He gave me a high-hat response when I asked to borrow a pencil. / Do not high-hat your classmates just because you finished early.
Similar Expressions: Snub / Look down on
40. Preening yourself
Definition: Spending too much time admiring your own looks or achievements.
Used in a Sentence: He spent ten minutes preening himself in the mirror before class. / Stop preening yourself and help us carry these books.
Similar Expressions: Admiring / Vain
41. Grandstanding
Definition: Doing things in a flashy way just to get attention and praise.
Used in a Sentence: The player stopped running to pose, which was just grandstanding. / We lost the game because he was grandstanding instead of passing the ball.
Similar Expressions: Showing off / Performing
42. Putting on a show
Definition: Acting overly dramatic and proud to impress other people.
Used in a Sentence: He is just putting on a show to make himself look brave. / Stop putting on a show and tell us the truth.
Similar Expressions: Fake / Acting
43. Treating others like dirt
Definition: Behaving with extreme arrogance and treating people as worthless.
Used in a Sentence: An arrogant person often makes the mistake of treating others like dirt. / You should never be proud of treating others like dirt.
Similar Expressions: Bullying / Cruelty
44. Too proud to walk
Definition: Being so full of pride that you act superior to normal activities.
Used in a Sentence: He was too proud to walk with us and took a taxi one block. / Do not be too proud to walk and enjoy the fresh air.
Similar Expressions: Arrogant / Stubborn
45. Walking with your nose in the air
Definition: Walking around while acting too proud to look at anyone else.
Used in a Sentence: She walked with her nose in the air and bumped into a locker. / Stop walking with your nose in the air and watch where you are going.
Similar Expressions: Snobbish / Stuck up
46. Self-appointed king
Definition: Naming yourself the leader of a group because you think you are best.
Used in a Sentence: He acted like a self-appointed king of the playground games. / Nobody voted for you to be the self-appointed king of this club.
Similar Expressions: Bossy / Ruler
47. Smug smile
Definition: A proud and self-satisfied grin that shows arrogance.
Used in a Sentence: He wore a smug smile when the test results were handed back. / Wipe that smug smile off your face and keep studying.
Similar Expressions: Grin / Pride
48. Thinking the world owes you
Definition: Acting like you are so special that everything should be given to you.
Used in a Sentence: Stop thinking the world owes you and start working hard for your goals. / He acts like the world owes him because he won a trophy.
Similar Expressions: Entitled / Spoiled
49. Showing off
Definition: Displaying your skills or possessions in an annoying and proud way.
Used in a Sentence: He kept riding his skateboard with one hand just to keep showing off. / Please stop showing off and share the toys with everyone.
Similar Expressions: Bragging / Flashing
50. Walking on clouds
Definition: Floating in a state of extreme pride and self-importance.
Used in a Sentence: He has been walking on clouds since he got elected class president. / Come back down to earth and stop walking on clouds.
Similar Expressions: Smug / Cocky
Exercise to Practice
- She acted all high and mighty when she refused to help clean up the classroom.
- He is so full of hot air that he can actually lift a heavy car over his head.
- Do not be a know it all when your friend is trying to explain a new game.
- She got a new bicycle and now she is getting too big for her boots.
- He was walking on air and crying because he failed his math quiz.
- Stop blowing your own horn and let your teammate share her good news.
- She looked down her nose at my old backpack and laughed out loud.
- The helpful student was acting like a smart aleck by sharing pencils with everyone.
- He walked around the playground like the cock of the walk during recess.
- She was puffed up with sadness when she dropped her ice cream cone.
- He wore a smug smile after he won the spelling bee contest.
- Stop putting on dog and wear your comfortable sneakers to school.
- He thought he was untouchable until the teacher caught him running in the hall.
- She spent the whole afternoon preening herself in front of the mirror.
- He was walking tall and crying because he lost his favorite toy.
Answer Key
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- True
- False
- True
- False
- True
- True
- True
- True
- False
Conclusion
Learning idioms about arrogant people helps you understand how authors describe characters in stories and everyday life. These fun expressions give you creative ways to talk about human behavior.
Try using one of these new idioms when you are talking with your friends or writing a story this week. You will find that playing with words makes reading and speaking much more exciting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are some common idioms for arrogant people?
Common expressions include high and mighty, stuck up, and full of hot air. These phrases help describe someone who acts superior to others.
Why do we use idioms in English?
Idioms make our language colorful and help us express big ideas using simple mental pictures. They make talking and writing much more fun.
How can I remember these idioms easily?
You can remember them by connecting each phrase to a picture in your mind, like someone riding a high horse or walking with their nose in the air. Practice using them in short sentences every day.
Are all of these idioms polite to use?
Some of these expressions describe negative traits, so they should be used carefully and kindly. It is best to use them when telling stories or writing school reports rather than to hurt someone’s feelings.
Can idioms change over time?
Yes, new idioms are created over time while older ones might change slightly in how people use them. However, classic expressions about pride have stayed popular for many years.
