complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplā-sᵊn(t)-sē 
plural complacencies
1
: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies
When it comes to safety, complacency can be dangerous.
2
: an instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction
Synonyms
- amour propre
- bighead
- complacence
- conceit
- conceitedness
- ego
- egotism
- pomposity
- pompousness
- pride
- pridefulness
- self-admiration
- self-assumption
- self-conceit
- self-congratulation
- self-esteem
- self-glory
- self-importance
- self-love
- self-opinion
- self-satisfaction
- smugness
- swelled head
- swellheadedness
- vaingloriousness
- vainglory
- vainness
- vanity
Examples of complacency in a Sentence
He sees a dangerous sense of complacency about the U.S. stock market—where investors were emboldened after the 1998 downturn was followed by a resounding snapback.
—
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Recent Examples on the Web
Musk has said cars operating in Autopilot are safer than those controlled by humans, a message that several plaintiffs — and some experts — have said creates a false sense of complacency among Tesla drivers.
—Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The Boxer had experienced three significant engineering failures that a Navy review obtained by KPBS found were caused, at least in part, by cost-cutting, under-skilled workers, complacency and poor leadership.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
Don’t mistake it for complacency after reaching the peak of college wrestling.
—Calum McAndrew, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
Early-stage Putinism was marked by a mix of public complacency and indifference.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2024
Contentment and complacency are dangerously close together.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
And is there a complacency issue that Trump has to worry about?
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2024
The Downward Spiral offers a glimpse into a private abyss, where the listener is shocked out of complacency and forced to bear witness to the narrator’s descent.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
The series examines how financial pressures and a culture of complacency may have contributed to the events of February 1, 2003 disaster.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024
Trisha Thadani, Washington Post, 7 Apr. 2024
The Boxer had experienced three significant engineering failures that a Navy review obtained by KPBS found were caused, at least in part, by cost-cutting, under-skilled workers, complacency and poor leadership.
—Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Apr. 2024
Don’t mistake it for complacency after reaching the peak of college wrestling.
—Calum McAndrew, Kansas City Star, 23 Mar. 2024
Early-stage Putinism was marked by a mix of public complacency and indifference.
—Michael Kimmage, Foreign Affairs, 13 Mar. 2024
Contentment and complacency are dangerously close together.
—Jodie Cook, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024
And is there a complacency issue that Trump has to worry about?
—Nbc Universal, NBC News, 14 Jan. 2024
The Downward Spiral offers a glimpse into a private abyss, where the listener is shocked out of complacency and forced to bear witness to the narrator’s descent.
—Adam Steiner, SPIN, 8 Mar. 2024
The series examines how financial pressures and a culture of complacency may have contributed to the events of February 1, 2003 disaster.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 7 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'complacency.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
see complacent
First Known Use
1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing complacency
Dictionary Entries Near complacency
Cite this Entry
“Complacency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complacency. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy Citation
Kids Definition
complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplās-ᵊn-sē
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