smart-alecky

adjective

Definition of smart-aleckynext
1
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred you wouldn't be so smart-alecky if you were the one having the surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings smart-alecky comments from a coworker about her new clothes

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 smart-alecky Less is required of Anderson’s jaded, booze-sodden Jeff, but this smart-alecky sidekick is re-imagined with crackling comic vitality. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 20 May 2026 Even at its most sorrowful, anti-authoritarian, and smart-alecky, Gunn’s work endorses a fundamentally promising vision of life. — Matt Zoller Seitz, Vulture, 31 Oct. 2025 Cleverbot veers from sounding like a winsome waif to coming across as a drunk, smart-alecky fifteen-year-old who talks in non sequiturs. — Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
  1. cute
  2. sarcastic
  3. playful
  4. satiric
  5. acidic
Adjective
  • Get the perfect lowkey look by pairing it with sneakers and a sun hat, then swap out your shoes for cute sandals and a cardigan in the evening.
    — Mia Huelsbeck, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Their cute, elderly golden retriever, Cassie, is used for such baldly emotionally manipulative ends.
    — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Rogen and Nanjiani manage to steal multiple scenes as the voices of the ladies’ cats Dio and GG, two sarcastic felines who are fed up with their burnout owners.
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 12 Aug. 2026
  • This was Perez Hilton, after all, a man who had earned fame in the mid-two-thousands for his salacious, sarcastic, and often sadistic coverage of celebrity suffering.
    — Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • Styled with a suede coat, relaxed jeans, and Tabi flats, this look proves the playful accessory isn’t just for summer.
    — Alyssa Rotunno, InStyle, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Uniting these jokes is a streak of playful irreverence, a facility for tempering challenging ideas with American cultural references, and a reluctance to provide more explanation than necessary.
    — Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Piker fell in love with Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show and Turkish satirical newspapers and cartoons.
    — Josh Eells, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
  • The satirical scenes of Kris’ agent (Sarah Sherman) getting annoyed that her client can’t pitch a four-quadrant movie are hilarious while also ringing of truth.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Common culprits are hot, cold, sweet, or acidic foods and drinks.
    — Julie Marks, Verywell Health, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Clean granite with mild dish soap, warm water, and a soft cloth; avoid acidic cleaners like vinegar or lemon.
    — Caitlin Sole, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of acidic

Browse Nearby Words

smart alecks
smart-alecky
smart-ass
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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