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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smart-alecky
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
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
Adjective
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But there’s nothing wrong with getting something cute with a tomato or a cherry on it.—
Emily Johnson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
20 Mar. 2026
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Despite its cute, turkey-sized appearance, the Doolysaurus was a hardy survivor.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
19 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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James then scrunched his face into a sarcastic, close-eyed smile.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Mar. 2026
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Brendon was a fan favorite among the cast for his loyalty to his friends and sarcastic sense of humor.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Its rooms are layered with classical references, playful objets and a rich colour palette.—
Vicki Power,
TheWeek,
23 Mar. 2026
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The family is now left with memories of Barbara's smile and her famous tamales, and Aron's playful antics and artwork.—
Amelia Mugavero,
CBS News,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Martin’s rendering of these people is somewhere between sincere and satirical and somehow this technique works.—
John Warner,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Mar. 2026
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The darkly satiric film expands to LA, SF, and DC next week and nationwide throughout April.—
Jill Goldsmith,
Deadline,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In conventional fuel cells, chemical reactions take place in highly acidic conditions.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
26 Mar. 2026
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In terms of soil pH levels, tulips prefer neutral to slightly acidic soil.—
Michelle Mastro,
Architectural Digest,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.
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