What does the word hubris mean?
Hubris (noun, pronounced hyoo-briss) describes excessive pride, arrogance, or self-confidence—especially when it leads someone to overestimate their own abilities or importance.
When someone acts with hubris, they behave overconfidently, often to the point of being reckless or dismissive of others.
This word appears often in literature, history, and psychology to point out a flaw that leads to downfall or trouble.
Hubris or arrogance?
While hubris and arrogance are similar, hubris usually means pride so extreme that it invites consequences—often dramatic or tragic.
In Greek tragedy, hubris was a fatal flaw: a hero’s excessive pride angered the gods and led to their downfall. Arrogance can simply mean an inflated sense of self, and doesn’t always bring disaster.
You might hear hubris in phrases like 'blinded by hubris' or 'a cautionary tale of hubris', often warning against overconfidence.
Example sentences: hubris
The CEO's hubris led the company to take unnecessary risks.
Blinded by hubris, the explorer ignored all warnings and ventured into dangerous territory.
The politician's downfall was a classic case of hubris.
After defeating numerous opponents, a budding sense of hubris had resulted her acting hastily, which led to an untimely demise.
Quotes with 'hubris'
But that’s the gist of what they would be asked to do, which bespeaks no small amount of hubris on Newsom’s part.
—From Los Angeles Times
Every “Alien” movie is a cautionary story about scientific hubris, with humans racing to harness the xenomorph’s potential as a bioweapon.
—From Salon
What began as a wild experiment — equal parts hope and hubris — has always depended on the willingness of ordinary people to imagine something better and then actually try to build it.
—F. Willis Johnson, Twin Cities, 10 July 2025
| Phrase | Definition |
|---|---|
| pride comes before a fall | excessive pride leads to disaster |
| playing god | acting with undue power or self-importance |
| blind ambition | pursuing success without regard for consequences |
| to tempt fate | acting recklessly from overconfidence |
| hubris | excessive pride or self-confidence |
| marching to your own drum | acting independently or arrogantly |
| on top of the world | feeling invincible or superior |
| bitten by your own ambition | suffering consequences of unchecked ambition |
Word origin
The origin of 'hubris' traces back to ancient Greece, where the word (hybris) described outrageous arrogance, especially that which offended the gods.
In classical literature and myth, hubris was punished by divine retribution. Over time, the concept entered English to describe not only literary pride but any excessive self-assurance that leads to trouble.
Today, it's a common term in psychology, leadership studies, and cultural commentary, warning against the dangers of unchecked pride.
Sources
“Arrogance, N.” Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford UP, July 2023, https://doi.org/10.1093/OED/6729150100.https://www.oed.com/dictionary/arrogance_n?tab=factsheet#38900645. Accessed 13 Aug. 2025.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. "hubris". Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 May. 2025, https://www.britannica.com/topic/hubris. Accessed 14 August 2025. hubris, 12 May 2024
“Hybris, Dishonour, and Thinking Big,” The Journal of Hellenic Studies, 116:1–32 (1996)
Yash, D. "How to Use Hubris (Definition, Examples & Quiz)." Grammarflex, Aug 14, 2025, https://grammarflex.com/hubris/.
