1
as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the complacence of some of the rich kids at the exclusive private school
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disregard
lack of interest or concern
someone who displayed a startling complacence toward his own financial plight
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complacence
But surely there must be a place for civil disobedience and protest that is sufficiently disruptive to rouse people from complacence.
—
Yochai Benkler, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2012
The campaign used Ivancie’s complacence.
—oregonlive, 1 Feb. 2022
Overwhelming military strength encouraged complacence.
—T.h. Breen, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023
The United States veered too far in the direction of complacence after the Cold War, discounting China and Russia’s competitive potential.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 July 2022
But the rise and fall of Japan's chipmakers suggests that leaders of the industry today have no room for complacence.
—Eamon Barrett, Fortune, 22 June 2021
His complacence is more nauseating than his weakness.
—Katherine Dunn, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020
There's been a lot of years of complacence from a lot of people who thought everything was OK but weren't really listening to what was going on and what wasn't OK.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2019
That sort of complacence doesn't cut it with consumers in China, where the big three telecom providers are expected to roll out 5G networks in most major cities by the end of this year.
—Aaron Pressman, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2019
Yochai Benkler, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2012
The campaign used Ivancie’s complacence.
—oregonlive, 1 Feb. 2022
Overwhelming military strength encouraged complacence.
—T.h. Breen, The New York Review of Books, 2 Feb. 2023
The United States veered too far in the direction of complacence after the Cold War, discounting China and Russia’s competitive potential.
—Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 July 2022
But the rise and fall of Japan's chipmakers suggests that leaders of the industry today have no room for complacence.
—Eamon Barrett, Fortune, 22 June 2021
His complacence is more nauseating than his weakness.
—Katherine Dunn, The New Yorker, 4 May 2020
There's been a lot of years of complacence from a lot of people who thought everything was OK but weren't really listening to what was going on and what wasn't OK.
—Gary Graff, Billboard, 4 Oct. 2019
That sort of complacence doesn't cut it with consumers in China, where the big three telecom providers are expected to roll out 5G networks in most major cities by the end of this year.
—Aaron Pressman, Fortune, 13 Sep. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacence
Noun
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Accessibility and Sustainability Mii amo features one ADA-compliant 400-square-foot Casita, complete with a king-size bed, a roll-in shower, a tub with a permanent seat, and an accessible double vanity.—
Devorah Lev-Tov,
Travel + Leisure,
26 July 2025
-
Distinctive elements: White oak vanity; brass fixtures; quartz countertops; Asian wallpaper.—
Lennie Omalza,
The Courier-Journal,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Advertisement Ananya’s actions show a chilling disregard for human life.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
25 July 2025
-
Bennett echoed those concerns in his own memo, citing confusion over responsibilities and disregard for legal advice.—
Kelly Davis,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
25 July 2025
Noun
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Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images/Getty Images Also read: Commanders Star WR Reacts to Ending Training Camp Holdout With countless people in and around the league trying to crown him the next big thing, Daniels' ego could have quickly inflated.—
Kevin McCormick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 July 2025
-
Tension could arise if egos clash, but underneath the surface, there’s an invitation to practice softness, to apologize without conditions, and to notice where control is getting in the way of genuine collaboration.—
Dossé-Via Trenou,
Refinery29,
27 July 2025
Noun
-
Most prominent has been the hot competition to bring a hotel to the urban center, which led the city to choose two developers building separate projects after years of market indifference.—
Laura Kinsler,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 July 2025
-
The quiet majority, by remaining quiet, gets to enjoy relative prosperity and the relative indifference of the state.—
MICHAEL KIMMAGE,
Foreign Affairs,
16 July 2025
Noun
-
Several Clifton and Northside residents had their properties set ablaze on July 30 in a specific targeting of flags, including flags known to be a symbol of pride for the LGBTQ+ community.—
Quinlan Bentley,
The Enquirer,
2 Aug. 2025
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That same evening, a similar expression of Puerto Rican pride could be felt on Detroit’s West Side, with the sounds of Bad Bunny’s slurry voice pouring onto Livernois Avenue.—
Lyndsay C. Green,
Freep.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Success, while desirable, can breed complacency and even a sense of entitlement, thus diluting urgency.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
History shows voters punish complacency when lawmakers ignore the mandate that sent them to Washington.—
Erick Erickson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
17 July 2025
Noun
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The sweeping track was inspired in part by Rebecca Solnit’s 2014 collection Men Explain Things to Me, with the titular essay providing a scathing look at male arrogance and how conversations between men and women go awry.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
16 July 2025
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But nothing in his tenure captures all at once the sense of arrogance, tone-deafness to the concerns of Floridians and obsession with keeping secrets.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
20 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complacence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacence. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
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