hubris
noun
Pronunciation
HYOO-bris
Definition
- exaggerated pride or self-confidence
Examples
The company's failure was ultimately brought on by the hubris of its founder.
"I think confidence is one of the most important qualities that you need in a leader—self-assurance. But at times confidence can shade over into arrogance and even hubris." — Doris Kearns Goodwin, speaking on The Charlie Rose Show, 12 Jan. 2016
Did You Know?
English picked up both the concept of hubris and the term for that particular brand of cockiness from the ancient Greeks, who considered hubris a dangerous character flaw capable of provoking the wrath of the gods. In classical Greek tragedy, hubris was often a fatal shortcoming that brought about the fall of the tragic hero. Typically, overconfidence led the hero to attempt to overstep the boundaries of human limitations and assume a godlike status, and the gods inevitably humbled the offender with a sharp reminder of his or her mortality.
Test Your Vocabulary
Fill in the blanks to create a literary word that refers to a character's "tragic flaw": h _ _ ar _ ia.
Merriam-Webster
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