---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain…"
description: "\"Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am.\" — Howard Cosell"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/howard-cosell-29573_arrogant_arrogant-pompous-obnoxious-vain-cruel-ve_2100065.png"
---

#  Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a…

![“Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am.” quote by Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/howard-cosell-29573_arrogant_arrogant-pompous-obnoxious-vain-cruel-ve_2100065.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/howard-cosell-29573_arrogant_arrogant-pompous-obnoxious-vain-cruel-ve_2100065.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8c1/howard-cosell-29573_arrogant_arrogant-pompous-obnoxious-vain-cruel-ve_2100065.png)

> “Arrogant, pompous, obnoxious, vain, cruel, verbose, a showoff. I have been called all of these. Of course, I am.”

[Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

The speaker embraces negative labels, acknowledging personal flaws and perhaps using them to assert authenticity.

**In simple terms:** Accepting one's flaws openly.

Key Takeaway

Own your reputation and be genuine.

Themes

self-awareness authenticity ego humor

Mood

defiant self-deprecating

Type

personal reflective

When to use this quote

- personal branding
- public speaking
- self-improvement
- media appearances

Key Concepts

identity self-acceptance social perception

Questions to Reflect On

- How does embracing criticism affect self-image?
- Can honesty about flaws improve trust?

A Different Perspective

Admitting flaws may reinforce negative perceptions.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Arrogant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/) [Obnoxious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obnoxious/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/)

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> [I never want to be a showoff or attention getter or something that, truthfully, is kind of repulsive to me, but I get uncomfortable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/selma-blair/i-never-want-to-be-a-showoff-or-attention-getter-or-something-that/)

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> [I saw the dance as a vision of ineffable power. A man could, with dignity and a towering majesty, dance. Not mince, cavort, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-limon/i-saw-the-dance-as-a-vision-of-ineffable-power-a-man-could-with/)

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> [We fundamentalists are a pack of mood-loving showoffs. I'm sure the Minor Prophets would have found subject for correction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-elliot/we-fundamentalists-are-a-pack-of-mood-loving-showoffs-i-m-sure-the/)

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> [My background is in musical comedy. I didn't know I was going to be an actor. But all my points of reference have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-walken/my-background-is-in-musical-comedy-i-didn-t-know-i-was-going-to-be-an/)

[Christopher Walken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-walken/)

> [I definitely have to give myself permission, like on "Master Swarm," to rip a lead on that. Just play a violin solo that's -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-definitely-have-to-give-myself-permission-like-on-master-swarm-to/)

[Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/)

> [Tilting his head back he slowly released an enormous quantity of smoke from his mouth and drew it up through his nostrils. He continued…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/tilting-his-head-back-he-slowly-released-an-enormous-quantity-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I don't want to sound pompous, but I think it is important that when one makes arguments of consequence that he go and see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-kaplan/i-don-t-want-to-sound-pompous-but-i-think-it-is-important-that-when/)

[Lawrence Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-kaplan/)

> [Anyone who thinks they're important is usually just a pompous moron who can't deal with his or her own pathetic insignificance and the fact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-thomas/anyone-who-thinks-they-re-important-is-usually-just-a-pompous-moron/)

[William Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-thomas/)

> [One thing is certain: the humility of faith, if it is followed by the proper consequences-by the acceptance of the work and sacrifice demanded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/one-thing-is-certain-the-humility-of-faith-if-it-is-followed-by-the/)

[Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/)

> [Prison is a crash course in the darker side of life. Few survive it without becoming a different person: more cynical, jaded, fearful, angry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/prison-is-a-crash-course-in-the-darker-side-of-life-few-survive-it/)

[Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/)

> [I found so-called great art too pompous, too stiff. What at this time was called minor art was freer, more imaginative, more open to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lipchitz/i-found-so-called-great-art-too-pompous-too-stiff-what-at-this-time/)

[Jacques Lipchitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lipchitz/)

> [Man is a noble animal, splendid in ashes, and pompous in the grave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-browne/man-is-a-noble-animal-splendid-in-ashes-and-pompous-in-the-grave/)

[Thomas Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-browne/)

## More by Howard Cosell

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> [O. J. has an uncanny instinct for sensing when to make the move, when to makethe cut. He can kill you with a headfake,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/o-j-has-an-uncanny-instinct-for-sensing-when-to-make-the-move-when-to/)

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> [Unlike any other sport, the objective in boxing is chillingly simple: One man purposefully endeavors to inflict bodily harm on another man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/unlike-any-other-sport-the-objective-in-boxing-is-chillingly-simple/)

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> [Sports is human life in microcosm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/sports-is-human-life-in-microcosm/)

[Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/)

> [Then there is a still higher type of courage - the courage to brave pain, to live with it, to never let others know…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/then-there-is-a-still-higher-type-of-courage-the-courage-to-brave/)

[Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/)

> [After all, is football a game or a religion?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/after-all-is-football-a-game-or-a-religion/)

[Howard Cosell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/)

> [The time may have come to say goodbye to Muhammad Ali, because very honestly, I don't think he can beat George Foreman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/the-time-may-have-come-to-say-goodbye-to-muhammad-ali-because-very/)

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> [I'm one helluva communicator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-cosell/i-m-one-helluva-communicator/)

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[Explore all 18 Howard Cosell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-cosell/)

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> [ \[T\]he tax code has been piling up, year after year, a symbol of everything gone wrong in America, of arrogant rulers and lost freedom,… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-armey/t-he-tax-code-has-been-piling-up-year-after-year-a-symbol-of/)

[Dick Armey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-armey/)

> [What I would say to filmmakers, if I may be so bold or so arrogant, is to draw inspiration from other filmmakers, but go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-bender/what-i-would-say-to-filmmakers-if-i-may-be-so-bold-or-so-arrogant-is/)

[Lawrence Bender](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-bender/)

> [In politics we face the choice between warmongering, nation-state loving, big-business agents on one hand; and risk-blind, top-down, epistemic arrogant big servants of large…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nassim-nicholas-taleb/in-politics-we-face-the-choice-between-warmongering-nation-state/)

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> [I absolutely hate arrogant people, irks me to no end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-absolutely-hate-arrogant-people-irks-me-to-no-end/)

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> [Splutter, splutter. Yes - we're off - we're rising. But why start off with an engine like that? But it smooths out now, like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-morrow-lindbergh/splutter-splutter-yes-we-re-off-we-re-rising-but-why-start-off-with/)

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[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [“He was a man. Handsome as sin, arrogant as fuck, and in need of at least one woman to prove he wasn’t God’s gift…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-blue/he-was-a-man-handsome-as-sin-arrogant-as-fuck-and-in-need-of-at-least/)

[Melissa Blue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-blue/)

> [Being nice to people gets you nowhere. Being arrogant gets you nowhere. Blackmail, now that's a thing that will get you everywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-to-people-gets-you-nowhere-being-arrogant-gets-you-nowhere/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's amusing how arrogant people can be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-amusing-how-arrogant-people-can-be/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

[Browse all 1,146 Arrogant quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/arrogant/)

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