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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
  • Then toss a fresh pair of leggings into your cart to wear with popular oversized sweaters, and cute capris for the in-between-temp days.
    — Jessie Quinn, PEOPLE, 20 Sep. 2026
  • This year, the Time Out publishing group has voted Seoul’s Jongno 3-Ga the world’s coolest neighborhood, highlighting its cute shops and cafes as well as its Instagram-ready scenery.
    — Lilit Marcus, CNN Money, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • This hampers several of my favorite performances, especially Harper, whose Ben is full of sarcastic indignation, and June Laporte as Ginny, an aspiring reporter in need of proper mentoring.
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 19 Sep. 2026
  • The sarcastic Chandler Bing (Matthew Perry) and affable actor Joey Tribbiani (Matt LeBlanc) are among her favorite characters.
    — Mack DeGeurin, Popular Science, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • The Aries Full Moon activates your playful 5th house, bringing creativity, romance, self-expression, or a personal passion into sharper focus.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Social and playful 694 faces Katmai Brady Bunch member 620, while two bears that overcame incredible odds, 610 and 89 (Backpack), vie for votes in the other first round fight.
    — Popular Science Team, Popular Science, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • Burić won Best Actor at the 35th European Film Awards for his role in Ruben Östlund’s satirical black comedy Triangle of Sadness, which won the Palme d’Or at the 75th Cannes Film Festival in 2022.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Waugh on his turn from satirical humorist to dark inquisitor of the human condition is in full effect here.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • Estrogen loss thins the vaginal tissue and changes the microbiome, leading to a less acidic environment -- a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that cause UTIs.
    — Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Lime green piping traced an aubergine silk skirt; flashes of acidic color appeared on necklines and linings.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 21 Sep. 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 27 Sep. 2026.

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