Hubris
— excessive pride; arrogance
Hubris is excessive pride, arrogance, or overconfidence — the kind that blinds a person to their own limitations and often leads to their downfall. It is not simply confidence but confidence taken to a dangerous extreme, where someone believes they are beyond the reach of consequences.
The word originates in Greek tragedy, where hubris was the fatal flaw of heroes who defied the gods or overstepped their mortal boundaries. Today it is used in politics, business, and everyday life to describe anyone whose inflated self-regard sets them up for a spectacular failure.
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Memory Mnemonic
WHO BREEZE
The keyword WHO BREEZE comes from how Hubris sounds when spoken aloud. This pronunciation connection makes it easy to recall the keyword whenever you hear or see the word.
Memory Link
"WHO can control the BREEZE? I can!" he boasted—his excessive pride and arrogance made everyone laugh!
Picture a man standing on a cliff, boasting "WHO can control the BREEZE? I can!" — his excessive pride and arrogance are so enormous that he genuinely believes he can command the wind itself. WHO BREEZE gives you the keyword, and the image of someone so absurdly overconfident that they claim power over nature captures the meaning of hubris. Visualise him laughing into the wind with arms outstretched, moments before a gust knocks him off the edge — the inevitable downfall that hubris invites.
HOW TO MEMORIZE VOCABULARY
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Step 1: Derive a keyword from the word based on how the word is spelled or pronounced. Next time you see the word, you will be able to derive the keyword from it because it is based on the word.
Step 2: Form a visual memory link that connects the keyword and the meaning(s) of the word you are learning.
Step 3: Ensure to Visualise the image, see it in your imagination. This is important even if it takes a few seconds.
Usage Examples
- It was pure hubris that made him think he could run the company without any industry experience.
- The general's hubris led him to underestimate the enemy, resulting in a devastating defeat.
- In Greek mythology, Icarus's hubris — flying too close to the sun — became a cautionary tale for the ages.
- The startup's hubris was evident in its decision to reject every acquisition offer, only to collapse a year later.
- She warned that political hubris would eventually alienate the very voters who had brought them to power.
Etymology of Hubris
From Ancient Greek hybris (ὕβρις), meaning "insolence," "outrage," or "excessive pride," particularly in the context of defying the gods. In Greek drama, hubris was the character flaw that preceded nemesis — divine punishment. The word entered English largely through literary and philosophical usage.
Synonyms & Antonyms of Hubris
Synonyms
Antonyms
Common Collocations with Hubris
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