arrogant
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arrogant
An attitude in which one considers oneself better, more important, or smarter than others and shows it. It describes a form of arrogance and overconfidence.
Sein überhebliches Lächeln machte ihn sofort unsympathisch.
His arrogant smile immediately made him unlikeable.
The word is derived from the idea of 'heben' (to lift/raise) oneself 'über' (above) others. An 'überheblich' (arrogant) person therefore figuratively places themselves above other people and feels superior to them.
Er hat die Angewohnheit, sich über seine Kollegen zu heben.
He has a habit of elevating himself above his colleagues.
'Überheblich' (arrogant) often describes the way someone behaves or expresses themselves. Typical combinations are eine überhebliche Art (an arrogant manner), ein überhebliches Verhalten (arrogant behavior), or ein überheblicher Tonfall (an arrogant tone).
Mit seinem überheblichen Tonfall hat er alle gegen sich aufgebracht.
With his arrogant tone, he turned everyone against him.
The adjective is often combined with verbs such as 'sein' (to be), 'wirken' (to seem/come across), or 'sich verhalten' (to behave) to describe a person's character or manner.
Sie wirkt auf den ersten Blick vielleicht etwas überheblich.
At first glance, she may seem a little arrogant.
arrogant
Arrogant and überheblich both describe visibly displayed superiority. Arrogant can refer to a person's overall manner or general attitude. Überheblich particularly emphasizes that someone places themselves above others in a specific situation, so the words often overlap.
Als der neue Chef unseren Vorschlag belächelt, wirkt er besonders überheblich.
When the new boss smirks at our proposal, he seems particularly arrogant.
Während des ganzen Gesprächs wirkt der neue Chef arrogant und nimmt niemanden ernst.
Throughout the entire conversation, the new boss seems arrogant and takes no one seriously.
