Hubris

Meaning

Excessive pride, arrogance, or self-confidence, especially when it leads to a downfall or catastrophic failure.

Origin / Etymology

Greek hybris (insolence, pride that offends the gods), originally describing conduct that humiliated or dishonoured others

Synonyms

Arrogance Conceit Overconfidence

Antonyms

Humility Modesty Restraint

Example Sentence

"The hubris of infrastructure developers who ignored environmental clearance processes led to massive cost overruns and legal battles that stalled projects for over a decade."

🎯 UPSC Usage

Use in GS4 Ethics and Essay answers when analysing leadership failures, policy overreach, or the danger of unchecked power. Captures the classical idea that excessive confidence invites catastrophe, highly effective in narrative-style Mains essays and Case Studies.

Relevant Subjects