smart aleck

noun

smart al·​eck ˈsmärt-ˌa-lik How to pronounce smart aleck (audio)
-ˌe-
variants or less commonly smart alec
: an obnoxiously conceited and self-assertive person with pretensions to smartness or cleverness
smart-aleck adjective
smart-alecky adjective

Examples of smart aleck in a Sentence

some smart aleck in the audience kept shouting clever insults at the nervous speaker
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
This fuzzy, snout-nosed, smart aleck extraterrestrial whose name was Gordon Shumway crashed in the suburban garage of the Tanner family in California after escaping from the doomed planet of Melmac, which was destroyed by nuclear war. Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025 Newton scored and so did backcourt mate Cam Spencer, that different style of smart aleck, who had 20. Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024 Perry portrayed sweet, sarcastic smart aleck Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on Friends, garnering an Emmy nomination. EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023 In this series launch, Billingham unveils a brash — and battered — smart aleck protagonist. Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2023 With a smart aleck’s wit and a knack for clear-eyed lyrics, the Brooklyn singer is a sympathetic narrator. Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 5 May 2023 In real life, however, Mr. Jaffee was the opposite of a smart aleck: a genteel, unassuming man whose in-person humor was delivered with a wink, not a cudgel. Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023 The Idea Oven — a suggestion box for half-baked whims, inspirations and notions for new products, businesses or innovations — was a regular feature in this column at the turn of the century (yes, this century, smart aleck). Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 30 Apr. 2021

Word History

Etymology

Aleck, nickname for Alexander

First Known Use

1864, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of smart aleck was in 1864

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smart aleck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smart%20aleck. Accessed 5 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

smart aleck

noun
smart al·​eck ˈsmärt-ˌal-ik How to pronounce smart aleck (audio)
-ˌel-
: a person who likes to show off in a clever or witty but annoying way
smart-alecky
-ˌal-ə-kē
-ˌel-
adjective
or smart-aleck
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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