smell one's own farts

English

Alternative forms

  • sniff one's own farts

Etymology

Named after the fact that one is liable to become acclimatized to, or even come to like, the smell of one's own farts, whilst still recognizing others' as foul. The acclimatization is likened to becoming out-of-touch with the reality of one's mediocrity.

Verb

smell one's own farts (third-person singular simple present smells one's own farts, present participle smelling one's own farts, simple past and past participle smelled one's own farts)

  1. (idiomatic) To become conceited; to believe that one's achievements are greater than they really are.
    These ivory-tower bureaucrats have been sitting in an echo chamber for months now, smelling their own farts, not realizing these ham-fisted policies really aren't working.
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