as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
it's easy to make smart-ass jokes about death when you're not the one who's dying
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-ass
Adjective
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Ariana Grande made a cute face while taking a pic with Steven Spielberg.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026 -
Jump on the trend early with this cute, hands-free Michael Kors crossbody bag.—
Alyssa Morin,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Often, though, the clutter is the point, and you’re smacked with temperamental textures that channel the flippant streak of plunderphonics.—
H.D. Angel,
Pitchfork,
7 Jan. 2026
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The prosecutors were flippant in dismissing the SEC’s questions.—
Ben Wieder,
Miami Herald,
23 Dec. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Smart-ass.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-ass. Accessed 19 Jan. 2026.
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