complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplā-sᵊn(t)-sē 
plural complacencies
1
: a calm sense of well-being and security : the quality or state of being satisfied
especially
: satisfaction or self-satisfaction accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies
When it comes to safety, complacency can be dangerous.
… if he avoids the complacency that can accompany quick riches and celebrity—he could ripen into a world-class performer. —
Larry Dorman
Larry Dorman 2
: an instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction
And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.—Alan Shepard, quoted in Yankee
Alan Shepard, quoted in YankeeExamples 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
Kings coach Doug Christie warned against complacency as his team prepared to face a shorthanded Los Angeles Lakers squad with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sidelined due to injuries.
—Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Two weeks ago, the president’s social-media growling about higher China tariffs exposed a node of complacency among investors, who as a group had turned their focus away from the trade-policy flux.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025
The seven-time national champion knows the highs of a winning streak can lead to complacency against lesser opponents.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Platner, a 41-year-old Marine with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has nakedly cast his bid as a battle against the oligarchy and politics-as-usual complacency.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
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Jason Anderson, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2025
Two weeks ago, the president’s social-media growling about higher China tariffs exposed a node of complacency among investors, who as a group had turned their focus away from the trade-policy flux.
—Michael Santoli, CNBC, 25 Oct. 2025
The seven-time national champion knows the highs of a winning streak can lead to complacency against lesser opponents.
—Andrew McCarty, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
Platner, a 41-year-old Marine with tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, has nakedly cast his bid as a battle against the oligarchy and politics-as-usual complacency.
—Philip Elliott, Time, 21 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
Cite this Entry
“Complacency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complacency. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
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complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplās-ᵊn-sē
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