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
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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
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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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Rumors about the Only Murders in the Building star's nuptials with Benny Blanco being this weekend turned out to be 100-percent true, and as soon as a few beautiful photos of the cute couple were green-lighted to be shared with the eager public, fans were double-tapping with tears in their eyes.—
Marci Robin,
Allure,
27 Sep. 2025
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The set comes in moody neutrals like gray, indigo, cream, and white, and even arrives in a cute storage tote.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Notably absent was Jennette McCurdy, who played Carly's sarcastic sidekick Sam in the original series.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
25 Sep. 2025
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Denise – scrappy, sarcastic, and clever – at first was hostile towards Steven, but that passionate annoyance later evolved into teasing, affectionate companionship.—
Sarah John,
Vulture,
24 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Sweeney and Dickson have been experimenting with more playful sartorial risks in the few months too; sailor chic via Coperni, subversive corporate attire with a pantsless suit and tie combo via Jean Paul Gaultier, and silky power suiting by Oscar de la Renta.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
1 Oct. 2025
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January’s energy is heightening your creative side and invites a playful, loving energy into your interactions.—
Meghan Rose,
Glamour,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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And the show has to be satirical.—
Wesley Stenzel,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Sep. 2025
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Kuang's latest is a satirical look at the brutal nature of academia.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
27 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One way is when iron-rich rock is exposed to high temperatures and acidic conditions, but neither are evident in the area around Cheyava Falls.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
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That occurs when the body runs out of insulin and starts burning fat for fuel, which can lead the blood to become dangerously acidic.—
Jonathan Lambert,
NPR,
29 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 4 Oct. 2025.
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