Polite Ways to Say "Arrogant"
The most common soft way to say it is "a bit full of himself" (or "herself"). Adding "a bit" or "a little" and describing his opinion of himself rather than labelling him keeps it polite.
The most common way
He thinks very highly of himself and lets it show, but said gently and with a hedge so it lands as an observation, not an insult.
How to say it: Say it as one chunk: "full" + a quick reduced "of" (/əv/) + "himself", so it sounds like "full-uh-vim-SELF". Stress "self", not "full".
Other ways to say it
- neutral, softened
He is very confident, maybe overly so, but the wording could almost be a compliment — it hints at cockiness without accusing him of it.
When to use it: Use with acquaintances or colleagues when you want to flag the trait while leaving room for a positive reading.
- formal, tactful
He rates himself highly and tends to act on that; a cool, indirect, slightly old-fashioned way to avoid the word "arrogant".
When to use it: Good in writing, appraisals or any situation where you must describe someone carefully and politely.
- formal, behavioural
He takes himself and his own status too seriously; softer and narrower than "arrogant" because it criticises his manner rather than his character.
When to use it: Say it to a manager or a friend when you want a gentler, more specific word than "arrogant".
- professional, behaviour-focused
He talks down to people; it describes the effect he has on others rather than judging his personality.
When to use it: Use at work or whenever you want to criticise what someone does, not who they are.
- informal, ironic understatement
A dry, humorous way of saying he is very sure of himself — the joke does the work so the words stay mild.
When to use it: Say it to friends you know well, in a light tone; it is too playful for a formal setting.
In a conversation
- A
?
A asks how the new team leader is getting on.
- B
, .
B says he is doing okay but talks down to people in meetings.
- A
— .
A suggests waiting, because it is probably nervousness and not arrogance.
Common mistakes
He is full of him.→ He is full of himself.The phrase needs the reflexive pronoun "himself", not "him".
He has a high opinion about himself.→ He has a high opinion of himself.English says "an opinion of someone", not "about".