Self-aggrandizement means making yourself seem more important, impressive, or powerful than you really are. When someone engages in self-aggrandizement, they constantly brag about their achievements, exaggerate their role in successes, or take credit for things others did.

Think of a team member who, after the group wins a science fair, tells everyone that they came up with all the good ideas and did most of the work, when really everyone contributed equally. Or imagine a student who drops hints about being “probably the best player” on the team, brings up their accomplishments in every conversation, and finds ways to make every discussion about their own talents.

Self-aggrandizement goes beyond healthy confidence or legitimate pride in real accomplishments. It's the pattern of consistently inflating your importance, sometimes at others' expense. Someone practicing self-aggrandizement might interrupt others' stories to tell their own, rewrite history to place themselves at the center, or create an image that doesn't match reality.

People usually notice this behavior, and it often backfires: instead of seeming impressive, the self-aggrandizer can end up seeming insecure and untrustworthy.