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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in disregard
lack of interest or concern
someone who displayed a startling complacence toward his own financial plight
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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
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
Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacence
Noun
-
Allocate your capital with clarity; don’t overspend on vanity or under-invest in traction.—
Swami Kakarla,
Forbes.com,
18 Aug. 2025
-
That there is impotence and cancer and infidelity and vanity and loss.—
Lyz Lenz,
Rolling Stone,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Other countries, most notably China, offer massive industrial subsidies, overproduce exports, and disregard labor rules and environmental concerns.—
Wally Adeyemo,
Foreign Affairs,
19 Aug. 2025
-
The zenith of the SSPX’s feud with the Vatican followed Lefebvre’s decision in 1988 to illicitly consecrate four bishops without Rome’s approval and in explicit disregard of warnings from then-Pope John Paul II.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
14 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
But times have changed, and this team of buffoons is forced to grapple with changing industry ethics and sensationalist journalism in its transition, all while Ron faces an identity crisis that challenges his bravado, his massive ego.—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
22 Aug. 2025
-
In the episode, scenes at the White House show a long line of guests, including Apple CEO Tim Cook, lining up to meet with Trump and inflate his ego by presenting him with a gift, heaping him with over-the-top praise, and reassuring him about his physical endowment.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The meeting between Trump and Putin is further evidence of Trump’s indifference to Putin’s aggression in Ukraine, his war crimes, and his threat to our European allies.—
Tom Zirpoli,
Baltimore Sun,
19 Aug. 2025
-
Both the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the equal-weight S & P 500 tagged new highs this week before faltering a bit, a sign either of fatigue or late-summer indifference.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
16 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Perhaps there’s some truth to Adrienne Rich’s line that every flag is a cry, not of pride, but of pain.—
Philip Metres
August 27,
Literary Hub,
27 Aug. 2025
-
Canada played into Texas fans’ state pride late in Ragweed’s 22-song, two-hour set.—
Josh Crutchmer,
Rolling Stone,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The danger, however, is how quickly a mindset like this can enable complacency.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Aug. 2025
-
There were one or two moments of complacency, however.—
Andy Jones,
New York Times,
22 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
And still, most new brands enter with a kind of hopeful arrogance, as if a good idea and some nice branding are enough to push past gravity.—
Joel Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
-
There’s a certain kind of arrogance that doesn’t yell or pound its chest.—
Stephanie Dillon,
Rolling Stone,
7 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Complacence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacence. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share