1
as in arrogant
having too high an opinion of oneself
a winner who was so smug that he lost the goodwill of the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tidy
being clean and in good order
the suburb's smug lawns and tree-lined streets bespeak a comfortable affluence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
Perhaps the frustration this time will be mitigated slightly as EV owners feel a bit smug about eliminating range anxiety.
—
Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And no scripture condones the smug enjoyment of it.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 30 July 2025
There really was a secret cabal of the rich and powerful who committed horrific crimes, smug in the knowledge that their money and power would protect them.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
And aren’t the organized terrorist groups smug and self-satisfied that their civilian proxies, many here in the United States, are doing their dirty work for them?
—Diane Gensler, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Neil Winton, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
And no scripture condones the smug enjoyment of it.
—Hannah Sacks, People.com, 30 July 2025
There really was a secret cabal of the rich and powerful who committed horrific crimes, smug in the knowledge that their money and power would protect them.
—Pat Beall, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2025
And aren’t the organized terrorist groups smug and self-satisfied that their civilian proxies, many here in the United States, are doing their dirty work for them?
—Diane Gensler, Baltimore Sun, 26 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
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Commissioner Cristina Eveillard later said the sheriff was arrogant.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
20 Sep. 2025
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The lies begin as soon as Max encounters Guillermo, an arrogant nepo baby who blamed him for Ane’s death but now pretends to accept his apology.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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If a freestanding bin is unavoidable, choose a sleek and durable model that complements the kitchen’s style, and keep it spotless to maintain a tidy, intentional look.—
Sophie Flaxman,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Sep. 2025
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Filmed on location in Mallorca, the six-part series follows Tom (Lasson) and Petra (Linnertorp), a successful Swedish couple who sell their hypermarket in Sweden for a tidy sum and head for a life of luxury on the Spanish island.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The low-key setting — a 6-0 thrashing of third tier opposition in the Carabao Cup third round — does not diminish the quality of strikes that Gomez’s former Inter Miami team-mate Lionel Messi would have been proud of.—
Andy Naylor,
New York Times,
24 Sep. 2025
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In the carousel, the proud parents shared the first photos of their newborn, as well as several pictures of their family of four.—
Kayla Grant,
PEOPLE,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Those looking to sample new bourbons—whether neat, on the rocks, or featured in a craft cocktail—will have their pick of places to go for a pour.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
20 Sep. 2025
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Chromebooks have become the cheap and simple alternatives to PCs, and so this is a neat solution.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Freeland, a trim fifty-four-year-old who served as a pilot in the Marines, said that the Osprey attracted disproportionate criticism because of its novel tilt-rotor technology, and that many helicopters crashed just as often, if not more, when they were first introduced.—
Seth Harp,
Harpers Magazine,
19 Sep. 2025
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Some varieties only need a light trim, while other varieties need a full pruning to get them through winter.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Kirk promised that her husband will not have died in vain and said that instead his message would only become stronger.—
Michael Loria,
USA Today,
13 Sep. 2025
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Thomas doesn't want her daughter to die in vain, either.—
Nushrat Rahman,
Freep.com,
9 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The kooky characters surrounding Judge Stone included the conceited prosecutor Dan Fielding (John Larroquette), the imposing bailiff Bull Shannon (Richard Moll), and the idealistic public defender Christine Sullivan (Markie Post), each of whom had various quirks of their own.—
Dan Heching,
EW.com,
28 Aug. 2025
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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Like Muscle Man, Mixtape follows a self-important, inarticulate mediocrity on the fringe of a minor American metropolis.—
Robert Rubsam,
Vulture,
18 Sep. 2025
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Their music provided a suitably self-important soundtrack as Great Recession-era artisanal hipsterdom faded into the careerist hopefulness of the latter Obama years, when Everlane minimalism supplanted lumberjack plaid.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 26 Sep. 2025.
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