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
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
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
The campaign used Ivancie’s complacence.
—oregonlive, 1 Feb. 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
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
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
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
The campaign used Ivancie’s complacence.
—oregonlive, 1 Feb. 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
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
-
Posing on top of an antique vanity and inside a wooden cabinet, Bieber cycled through a parade of sheer lace, see-through mesh, and strappy designs in shades of red, black, pink, and cream.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Store liquids—such as lotion, makeup, perfumes, and skincare—on a tray to protect your vanity table or bathroom cabinet.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
What your boyfriend did was inconsiderate and underhanded and showed disregard for your feelings.—
Jeanne Phillips,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The letter details other claims of favoritism and disregard for recent board directives to curb spending, like attempting to hire for vacant positions and authorizing overtime expenditures despite the hiring and overtime freeze enacted in the board approved fiscal solvency plan.—
Jennah Pendleton,
Sacbee.com,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The healthy egos on this cast probably won’t see me as a challenge threat despite my record.—
Dalton Ross,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Performers, clowns and managers talk about the risks, egos and family atmosphere at Cirque, as shots of death-defying stunts play.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
If not for Camilla, who’d gone out of her way to take Regina in, even letting her share the bedroom with her and Lalla, the others wouldn’t have welcomed her—not out of spite, no, because none of them were spiteful after all, but out of indifference, selfishness, plain and simple.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
-
In recent weeks, Trump has again revealed himself to be a stain on basic decency and humanity, demonstrating a depraved indifference to suffering and a laser-like focus on gold and glory.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Gergely Karácsony, mayor of Budapest, Hungary, was charged with organizing an unlawful assembly despite a prohibition order for his role in organizing a gay pride event.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
29 Jan. 2026
-
There was a large sense of pride in Mike McCarthy's hometown neighborhood of Greenfield as the Pittsburgh native was introduced as the new head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers.—
Cassidy Wood,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Yet, America’s current posture reflects decades of complacency, not the realities of 21st-century competition.—
Paul McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Prosperous empires throughout history have suffered failures born from complacency.—
Jamie Holmes,
Twin Cities,
22 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach take turns transforming into floating marketplaces — docks converted to catwalks, hulls polished to reflective arrogance, sales reps who can quote fuel burn like yacht owners care about costs.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
-
College football is awash in problems, including the Big Ten’s unrivaled arrogance, and its never-ending list of demands that would make Notre Dame blush.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complacence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacence. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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