If you describe someone as a self-styled leader or expert, you disapprove of them because they claim to be a leader or expert but they do not actually have the right to call themselves this.
[disapproval]
Two of those arrested are said to be self-styled area commanders.
He fiercely criticised self-styled educational experts for ignoring Shakespeare.
Synonyms: so-called, would-be, professed, self-appointed More Synonyms of self-styled
self-styled in British English
adjective
(prenominal)
claiming to be of a specified nature, quality, profession, etc
a self-styled expert
self-styled in American English
(ˈsɛlfˈstaɪld)
adjective
considered and called (something specified) only by the individual himself or herself; alleged (to be such) only by the person concerned; pretended; professed
a self-styled expert
Examples of 'self-styled' in a sentence
self-styled
And he said he was relishing the prospect of trading blows with the self-styled revolutionary.
The Sun (2014)
The findings will be a huge concern to the Co-op given its self-styled ethical stance.
The Sun (2012)
The self-styled revolutionary said that the 20-minute chat was his idea.
The Sun (2015)
The Labour leader attempted to win the support of the self-styled revolutionary and his fans yesterday by pledging to lead a fightback against companies that dodge taxes.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In other languages
self-styled
British English: self-styled ADJECTIVE
If you describe someone as a self-styled leader or expert, you disapprove of them because they claim to be a leader or expert but they do not actually have the right to call themselves this.
Two of those arrested are said to be self-styled area commanders.