as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complacency
This prodded Americans away from the complacency of the post-war era and toward a more progressive and assertive attitude on everything from Civil Rights to scientific research.
—
Time, 23 July 2025
Weapons wants nothing more than to jolt you out of a sense of complacency — to remind you that manipulative forces exist, and not even basic explanations can wash away the concept of chaos hovering just outside of the frame.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Secretary Kennedy has demanded accountability across HHS, and President Trump has shown unwavering commitment to ending complacency in systems that cost lives.
—Thomas Engels, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2025
The public's complacency is by design, built on a statistical illusion.
—Shahriar Minokadeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
Time, 23 July 2025
Weapons wants nothing more than to jolt you out of a sense of complacency — to remind you that manipulative forces exist, and not even basic explanations can wash away the concept of chaos hovering just outside of the frame.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Aug. 2025
Secretary Kennedy has demanded accountability across HHS, and President Trump has shown unwavering commitment to ending complacency in systems that cost lives.
—Thomas Engels, CNN Money, 3 Aug. 2025
The public's complacency is by design, built on a statistical illusion.
—Shahriar Minokadeh, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacency
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
-
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
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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
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His social media showed pride in the Oct 7th massacre, celebrations of synagogue murders & selfies with Hamas leaders.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
27 Aug. 2025
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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
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
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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
“Complacency.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacency. Accessed 2 Sep. 2025.
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