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
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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The clothes were cute, though, if not a little costumey.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
1 May 2026
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This adorable cloud pillow shows Harry’s iconic lightning bolt scar and is a seriously cute addition to any fan’s collection of memorabilia.—
Jason Pham,
StyleCaster,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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In addition to Miranda's scathing remarks to Andy (Anne Hathaway) while trying to complete seemingly impossible tasks, Emily (Emily Blunt) and Nigel (Stanley Tucci) taught her how to navigate office politics with their own sarcastic comments.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
3 May 2026
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Middle of Nowhere’s Kacey is witty, a bit sarcastic, alternately ecstatic and frustrated but always ready to entertain.—
Molly Mary O’Brien,
Pitchfork,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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This is the kind of duo that could work for the office or dressy weddings alike; the addition of playful accessories helps keep the ensemble from looking too severe, which is perfect for dinner dates or a night at the theater.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
4 May 2026
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Much of that playful approach is apparent visually through various uses of multimedia.—
David Opie,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
Adjective
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My satiric letter advised parents to teach their children to settle disputes with hockey sticks, like their favorite hockey players.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
3 May 2026
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The satirical news outlet sought approval of the InfoWars deal Thursday, but an emergency motion filed by Jones’ lawyers was approved by the Texas Third Court of Appeals, the Associated Press reports, with a hearing set for May 28.—
Daniel Kreps,
Rolling Stone,
1 May 2026
Adjective
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Avoid using vinegar and other acidic cleaners to clean glass doors in showers with natural stone because the acidity can etch or damage the finish.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
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Sodium bisulfate is an acidic salt often used to lower pH in swimming pools, spas and industrial water systems, and is also used in metal finishing, food processing, cleaning products and sanitizing.—
Kris Habermehl,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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