self-styled

self- +‎ styled

self-styled (not comparable)

1. Claimed by the recipient, as a title one gave to oneself.

   Synonyms: self-proclaimed, self-appointed, self-professed, self-ordained, soi-disant, wannabe, tryhard

   This self-styled king of the hill must prove himself before the title has any worth.

   • 1847, Emily Chubbuck, Allen Lucas, the Self-made Man, page 152:

     “A more heartfelt word, notwithstanding its playfulness,” said the elder lady, “than some of those self-styled patriots, that come here to give us laws, would pronounce, I have no doubt.”

   • 2012 April 23, Angelique Chrisafis, “François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election”, in the Guardian‎:

     Partial results showed Hollande – a former Socialist party leader, rural MP and self-styled Mr Normal – with a clear lead at more than 28%, compared with Sarkozy on 27%.

   • 2021 February 2, Katharine Murphy, “Scott Morrison must heed the lesson of Donald Trump and slap down Craig Kelly”, in The Guardian‎:

     If representation and recruitment is an objective, self-styled mavericks like Kelly and his Queensland sidekick George Christensen have some utility.