1
as in nonchalant
having or showing a lack of interest or concern
the auditors were taken aback by his complacent response to their findings of fraud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a complacent junior exec who was certain of his indispensability to the company
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complacent
But when onboard autonomy handles most of the work, operators can become bored, complacent, and less alert.
—
Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
But the government is remarkably complacent on this front.
—Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
The old order is fraying not because Europe is weak or complacent or guilelessly reliant on diplomatic institutions, but because authoritarian powers are increasingly willing to work together to forcefully reshape the world order.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
One theory is that complacent Republicans stayed at home.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complacent
Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
But the government is remarkably complacent on this front.
—Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
The old order is fraying not because Europe is weak or complacent or guilelessly reliant on diplomatic institutions, but because authoritarian powers are increasingly willing to work together to forcefully reshape the world order.
—Thomas Wright, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2026
One theory is that complacent Republicans stayed at home.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacent
Adjective
-
Fagen’s nonchalant cameo, though, got the Steely Dan community in a tizzy.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Scott inflicts Ohm’s nonchalant meanness with a piercingly perverse matter-of-factness that places the character as far away as possible from the realm of likeability.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Variety,
15 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
China has even more reason to be smug.—
Andreas Kluth,
Twin Cities,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.—
Bill Goodykoontz,
AZCentral.com,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Jamie’s blends retail with a casual bistro atmosphere.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
-
For attorneys in an overcrowded marketplace, in a city with casual ethics and a weakness for flamboyance, an outlandish sales pitch can be the best way to break through.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Garrison’s younger son had played basketball for the University of Louisiana at Lafayette; this made Garrison proud.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
The people are proud of their industrial background.—
Stephanie Armour,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Notoriously arrogant comedy legend Kent Romero might first bring to mind Chevy Chase for readers, perhaps even 1980s stars like Judge Reinhold, but with his Venezuelan-American background, he was also inspired by real-life groundbreakers like Freddie Prinze.—
Lee Kelly,
PEOPLE,
12 Apr. 2026
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As the sun and Jupiter clash, you’re cosmically protected, but arrogant behavior won’t get a pass.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacent. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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