Napoleon complex
noun
plural Napoleon complexes
: a domineering or aggressive attitude perceived as a form of overcompensation for being physically small or short
—not used technically
… short-fused assistant principals with Napoleon complexes.—
Robert Wilder
Robert WilderCall it a Napoleon complex or call it confidence, but the tiniest of dogs are usually the ones who take no crap.—Heather Barnett
Heather BarnettHe has a Napoleon complex, by virtue of being small and young in a job meant for the mighty and wise.—Spencer Kornhaber
Spencer KornhaberAllison Anders was not your typical five-foot, four-inch film school nerd with a Napoleon complex the size of Texas.—Veronica Chambers
Veronica ChambersExamples of Napoleon complex in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
SpongeBob SquarePants’ villainous Cyclops copepod with a Napoleon complex now has a film of his own — an AI love story, naturally.
—Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2025
The stress of being a loyal husband and father while toiling tirelessly at Spacely Space Sprockets – headed by a domineering man with a Napoleon complex – seems to float away as the zooming saucer-like aero cars with large bubble roofs leave behind popcorn-like residue from fuel pellets and radium.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Blacktip Shark The everyman shark with a Napoleon complex.
—Erik Vance, New York Times, 26 July 2024
Everyone’s familiar with the Napoleon complex—a syndrome wherein a man displays aggressive or domineering behavior to compensate for his short stature.
—Graham Techler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
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Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2025
The stress of being a loyal husband and father while toiling tirelessly at Spacely Space Sprockets – headed by a domineering man with a Napoleon complex – seems to float away as the zooming saucer-like aero cars with large bubble roofs leave behind popcorn-like residue from fuel pellets and radium.
—Natasha Gural, Forbes, 6 Jan. 2025
Blacktip Shark The everyman shark with a Napoleon complex.
—Erik Vance, New York Times, 26 July 2024
Everyone’s familiar with the Napoleon complex—a syndrome wherein a man displays aggressive or domineering behavior to compensate for his short stature.
—Graham Techler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Napoleon complex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Napoleon%20complex. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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