What Does “Hubris” Mean? How To Use It In A Sentence?

Many words in the English language may sound foreign yet have meanings similar to words we use daily. One of those words is “Hubris.” And if you have no idea what we’re talking about, keeping reading.

“Hubris” is the attribute or mannerism of unrestrained arrogance or confidence, which persuades people to think that they may do no wrong. The character flaw is the overwhelming display of pride. “Hubris” can lead to irrational, short-sighted and possibly harmful behavior. 

“Hubris” – Definition

As we mentioned earlier, “hubris” means excessive pride or arrogance. “Hubris” is also referred to as over-confidence, and arrogance which is almost always a fatal flaw. In essence, it is pride without moderation.

Etymology of Hubris

The word “hubris” has a rather fascinating etymology. The notion of “hubris” hails from Ancient Greece and is evident in the literature from that period of time. The word was initially used to express or represent the character of humans who were so arrogant that they were convinced they could become godlike. This English word is now associated with extreme or excessive confidence that is enough to lead to a person’s demise.

Where Does “Hubris” Come from

Encountering a period of success may lead to “hubris.” For instance, traders and corporate executives overcome by “hubris” may be more of a liability to their firms than an asset. This is especially so if a trader or manager begins coming up with business decisions without thoroughly thinking through the ramifications. In almost all instances of “hubris,” it brings about a person’s downfall.

People in leadership roles that are overcome by “hubris” are hard to work with and don’t work well at all in teams. This is merely because they lack the capability of taking other people’s opinions into account. So for some reason, they believe that they are right about everything and consistently know best, which is usually contrary to the truth.

Is “Hubris” Good or Bad?

It is important to note that “hubris” is not a good character trait and may eventually lead to a person’s downfall. This is because the overly confident attitude and arrogance lead the person to believe they are beyond questions. Thought and execution are both a part of the journey to success. When a person has “hubris,” on the other hand, they will never question their methods and simply jump into a situation without any thought at all. Ultimately, this absence of sufficient planning and processing leads to consequent failure.

Hubris Vs Pride

Like many other words in the English language, “hubris” is one of those words that gets confused with more frequently used words such as “pride.” However, there is a difference.

Taking pleasure in your own or the accomplishments of another individual is known as pride. So, it may be considered confidence, and confidence is proportionate to the individual and their actions. “Hubris,” on the other hand, is the multiplication of pride until it is void of proportion.

For instance, a student may work diligently on an essay and turn it in with confidence due to their faith in their writing skills and effort. However, a student who puts a half-hearted effort into their paper, because they believe they are a writing genius, and therefore, do not need to work hard, has “hubris.”

Hubris Vs Arrogance

People often confuse “hubris” with “arrogance, but as is the case with the word “pride,” there is a difference here as well. Arrogance is a habit or act of arrogating or fabricating excessive claims in a presumptuous manner. So it results in disproportionate claims of rank, estimation, dignity, or power. It can also be defined as glorifying the individual’s value or significance to an excessive degree, lordliness, proud contempt of others, presumption, self-assumption, and haughtiness. On the other hand, “hubris” is extravagant pride, arrogance and presumption.

Hubris Vs Confidence

Some people mistake “hubris” for “confidence.” However, confidence means feeling certain of yourself and your aptitude — but not in a conceited or overbearing way, and rather in a pragmatic, dependable or secure way. So it has nothing to do with feeling haughty or pompous to others. It’s a silent internal understanding that you’re capable of doing something. Confident people feel assurance or certainty rather than uncertainty.

Examples and Explanation of “Hubris”

Example 1:

Frankenstein, a Mary Shelley classic story, speaks of the “hubris” of playing God. So as the story goes, Dr. Victor Frankenstein commits himself to engineer sentient life, an act that would place him on the same level as the great creator of life, God. However, the doctor’s creation turns out to be uncontrollable and becomes a malediction on its engineer or creator.

Example 2:

“Hubris” is also evident in real-life literature. For instance, Hitler was infamously self-assertive and overbearing in his approach and viewpoint to waging war. His “hubris” plausibly cost him the war, and consequently, his life. Hitler tactfully maintained peace with the Soviet Union in the east; paradoxically, he waged a savage campaign against the West’s confederates.

So Hitler decided to attack the Soviets because things were going so smoothly. This oversight on his part led to the opening of a second front in the war resulting in millions of German soldiers dying. The “hubris” on his part led to his opponents’ victory due to the weakening of the Nazi army.

Example 3:

Another real-life instance of “hubris” is the story of the Titanic. Whether you’ve watched the movie or even read the stories, you’ll note the comments that were made about the ship. “God himself could not sink this ship,” this statement made by Cal Hockley is one of the most “hubris” statements of all time.

It also resulted in overconfidence by the Captain, and lots of people are of the opinion that the ship was not steered correctly and the crew was not observant enough to take note of the floating icebergs near the boat. Additionally, adequate life-boat space was not catered for when building the ship, and this meant that if the ship ever were to sink (which it did), many of its passengers would drown.

“Hubris” in Popular Culture

Example 1:

Raleigh Becket, in the movie Pacific Rim, begins as a man full of “hubris.” He defeats many kaiju or giant monsters during his career due to his aptitude and resilience. But he becomes so overly confident that he actually starts believing that he is untouchable or unstoppable.

So he allows a kaiju or giant monster to take him by surprise during a fight. However, instead of Raleigh paying the price for his “hubris,” it is his brother Yancy who does. Although it is sad that his brother dies, Raleigh lives and gets a second chance at life to learn from his mistakes, grow and become a better person.

Example 2: 

In his choice to leave Dagobah and confront Darth Vader alone, Luke Skywalker illustrates “hubris.” Although Yoda warns him that this confrontation is not something that he is ready for, Luke refuses to take his advice and heads off to pursue the Sith Lord. When Vader beats him or nearly kills him by taking his hand, it becomes evident to Luke that his confidence was inflated. Due to his defeat by Vader, Luke becomes stronger and wiser as a person and, as a bonus, gets a new robotic hand.

Sentence Examples with the Word “Hubris”

• When blinded by hubris, it is easy to offend others.
• Until it’s your own, hubris always seems ridiculous.
• Hubris was a flaw in the character of many ancient heroes.
• Hubris had led to the demise of various politicians and celebrities.
• My aunty’s hubris resulted in her being a cruel and egotistical woman.
• History has revealed the detrimental effect of hubris on nations and individuals.
• His humble demeanor was welcome in a community too saturated by hubris.
• Immense humility is what is needed to overcome hubris.
• Hubris is what caused her to feel superior to her peers.
• You must always be aware of hubris in your life.
• Those who embrace hubris will always take dangerous risks in life.
• He is the humblest person I’ve met; no hubris or conceit can be found in him.
• Modesty is good for a startup, yet hubris is toxic.
• Distracted by hubris, the soldier refused to believe that he was in danger.
• Technological hubris brings up downfalls for us all.
• His hubris about doing his own inventing resulted in him resisting innovative technologies.
• Since the unimaginable has happened, there is no such hubris now.
• Hubris is one of the biggest flaws in a person’s character.
• When hubris gets in the way of reasoning, trust me, all hell breaks loose.

Conclusion

Hubris is a feature of literature and is also used in formal essays, but it makes the most sense when used in creative writing. So the next time you want to express excessive pride or arrogance in writing, impress a few of your readers by using the word “hubris” instead.