Synonyms of complacency

complacency

noun

kəm-ˈplā-sᵊn(t)-sē 

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

• vanity
• ego
• pridefulness
• pride
• arrogance
• complacence
• smugness
• self-satisfaction
• confidence
• egotism
• superiority
• vainglory
• conceitedness
• pomposity
• self-conceit
• self-love
• vainness
• pompousness
• conceit
• self-importance
• self-congratulation
• amour propre
• assurance
• swelled head
• vaingloriousness
• self-admiration
• self-glory
• self-opinion
• bighead
• self-esteem
• self-assumption
• swellheadedness
• self-confidence
• self-assurance
• overconfidence
• self-righteousness
• hubris
• selfishness
• snobbishness
• haughtiness
• superciliousness
• imperiousness
• presumption
• disdainfulness
• self-assertion
• egoism
• lordliness
• pretension
• pretense
• self-respect
• self-pride
• pretentiousness
• self-centeredness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• humility
• modesty
• diffidence
• humbleness
• timidity
• altruism
• unselfishness
• self-doubt
• passivity
• shyness
• bashfulness
• passiveness
• self-loathing
• self-disgust
• self-hate
• demureness
• timidness

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of complacency

His household becomes a microcosm of a broader societal moral decay, fuelled by detachment, indifference, corruption, complacency and the pursuit of comfort. — Katherine Brodsky, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

But Libertad underscores that there is far too much at stake in Puerto Rico at this moment for the band to operate from a place of complacency. — Vanessa Diaz, Rolling Stone, 15 Oct. 2026

The lack of protest songs in today’s music industry has inspired many think pieces exploring what happened and whether it can be attributed to factors like a more general complacency among artists or fear from their record labels. — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026

As a result, #NiUnaMenos, a feminist group that originated in Argentina and whose aim is to combat complacency in societies that experience femicides, has taken root in Mexico. — Daniel Peña, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026