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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
Adjective
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July 6, 2025: Rodman watching Shelton’s match at Wimbledon is so cute the ESPN announcer literally giggles trying to talk about them.—
Elizabeth Logan,
Glamour,
7 July 2025 -
Oh, and the best pairs of the bunch are also plain old comfy (and cute, in a gorpcore kind of way).—
Sara Coughlin,
SELF,
7 July 2025
Adjective
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Teaming up with Rebels like the enigmatic Cassian Andor (Diego Luna) and the sarcastic droid K-2SO (Alan Tudyk), Jyn’s quest for salvation and redemption runs right up to the beginning of the original film, Star Wars: A New Hope.—
Mekishana Pierre,
EW.com,
26 June 2025
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Mamdani joined her for a sarcastic infomercial on her account, criticizing Mayor Adams’ record.—
CT Jones,
Rolling Stone,
26 June 2025
Adjective
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Even more recently, Dua Lipa debuted a playful French manicure with white polka dots on black tips, adding even more white spots all-over a couple accent nails.—
Emily Tannenbaum,
Glamour,
5 July 2025
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Ludus refers to playful, game-like love that values fun and avoids deep commitment.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
5 July 2025
Adjective
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The poem is part love quest, part account of Italy’s battles; in places profoundly serious, in places satiric.—
The New Yorker,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
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Neither damning nor satiric, W. is oddly wistful, almost regretful — rare sentiments in a Stone film.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
17 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Rowling frequently posts acidic commentary about trans people, and very rarely about the upcoming Harry Potter series (oddly enough, Rowling still publishes crime fiction under her male pseudonym, Robert Galbraith).—
Dani Di Placido,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Rainfall leaches elements that impart alkalinity, such as magnesium and calcium, out of the soil, rendering it acidic.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
28 June 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.
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