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
Relevance
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of smart-alecky
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
Patricia Marx, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
Adjective
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There are also two new delightfully cute additions to the collection — a shiny gold pair that would look radiant on warm-tone complexions and a pair that’s as stylishly macabre as the others, only smaller in size.—
Alyssa Grabinski,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
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The songs remind kids that costumes can be cute and colorful instead of frightening.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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As a model named Carl, stuck in a relationship corrupted by microcelebrity and Instagram view counts, Dickinson ticks with exasperation and sarcastic logic, his jaw clenched, his eyes wide and staring.—
Carrie Battan,
Vulture,
6 Oct. 2025
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Following the mother-daughter duo of Lorelai Gilmore, played by Lauren Graham, and Rory, played by Alexis Bledel, Gilmore Girls was perfectly made for millennials, packed with wistful romances, frustrating dramatic turns and just enough sarcastic jokes.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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This barrel chair nails that sweet spot between playful and polished.—
Bailey Berg,
Architectural Digest,
8 Oct. 2025
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The playful routine earned high praise from the judges, who were swept up in the performance.—
Amanda Castro,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The anime first premiered in October 2015, earning widespread acclaim for its satirical take on superhero tropes and stunning action sequences.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
7 Oct. 2025
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Count Dracula remains a fixture in the horror genre, having been featured in movies that range from scary and sexy to silly and satirical.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Since iron availability depends on an acidic environment, this reduces its absorption.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
7 Oct. 2025
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British yelper Yungblud released his debut in 2018 and has been cultivating a fervent fanbase for his ambitious, acidic music in the years since, but his co-sign from Ozzy Osbourne before the metal titan’s death this summer and his ambitious album Idols raised his profile in the wider rock world.—
Maura Johnston,
Rolling Stone,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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