Definition of complacencenext
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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of complacence Stuck here on the planet’s surface, our mundane perspective is rarely challenged, so seeing both our world and its lone natural satellite side by side is a rare gift, a jolt to our cosmic complacence. Phil Plait, Scientific American, 9 Oct. 2025 This flagrant exclusion of such a win-win prospect largely stems from the aversion many environmental activists have of any potential solution that might lead to complacence on aggregate consumption. Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025 His Finnish homeland, which shares an 800-mile border with Russia, has not been afforded the luxury of complacence. The Christian Science Monitor, Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025 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 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacence
Noun
  • The bathroom brings that rich blue into focus with its gilded vanity and various textures.
    Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Nine-foot stainless-steel screens, originally designed to keep fish from swimming into dams, were reshaped into curved, airfoil-like vanity doors.
    David Caraccio, Sacbee.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Once again, Gulf leaders were shocked not just by American disregard for their preferences but also by the revelation of American impotence.
    MARC LYNCH, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Elci clarified that was a nod to his father’s work ethic, not a disregard for his passing.
    Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The fact that both quarterbacks checked their ego at the door has impressed North Stars coach Rob Pomazak.
    Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Sometimes, even when the prosecutor involved almost certainly knows something other than justice is in the works, there is a momentum of ego and bureaucracy that is hard to reverse.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Kaepernick jolted the sports world from a state of indifference.
    Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Institutional indifference and erasure Fast forward to today, and that defensive posture has hardened into absolute institutional erasure.
    Kimmie Gordon, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Harris credited his defensive line and said the team takes pride in being a hard team to run against.
    Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026
  • In short, Parton may not have claimed to be a feminist, but her feminist fans claimed her just the same — with pride and affection.
    ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • That’s the risk Washington is not pricing into its complacency.
    Veronique De Rugy, Oc Register, 27 Aug. 2026
  • All this should be understood not as a reason for complacency but as a rationale for further action.
    Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 26 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • What might seem arrogance in others feels merely reasonable coming from her.
    Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • But while that might suggest arrogance, Dawson’s answer to another question reflects humility.
    Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Complacence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacence. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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