1
as in arrogant
having too high an opinion of oneself
a winner who was so smug that he lost the goodwill of the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tidy
being clean and in good order
the suburb's smug lawns and tree-lined streets bespeak a comfortable affluence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
My math teachers of old are very smug somewhere.
—
Jennifer Maas, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
China has even more reason to be smug.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smug
Jennifer Maas, Variety, 17 Apr. 2026
China has even more reason to be smug.
—Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 14 Apr. 2026
Bateman’s Clark is comfortably semi-famous, semi-smug and also, maybe, a decent guy.
—Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 24 Mar. 2026
Over Your Dead Body is not for the faint of heart, but give or take a rape threat that crosses the line into smug sadism without quite seeming to realize it, the violence lands as more comically cartoonish than horrific.
—Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
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The two roles underline the actor’s formidable versatility, all skittish panic in the former and arrogant sociopathy in the other.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
13 June 2026
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Washington State’s beauty is almost arrogant in its expansiveness.—
C Pam Zhang,
Travel + Leisure,
11 June 2026
Adjective
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Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition Laptop Deal If lugging around a heavyweight laptop is getting you down, a tidy little 5% discount on the sleek Lenovo Slim 7i Aura Edition might put some spring in your step.—
K. Thor Jensen,
PC Magazine,
15 June 2026
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As a fun aside, check out my colleague Don Riddell’s story on why Japan is the tidiest team at every World Cup.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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Citadel is proud not to have a touchy-feely atmosphere.—
Gary Sernovitz,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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From a family cooking class to golf-watching gatherings, these 28 Father’s Day celebrations are sure to make dad proud.—
Samantha Nelson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 June 2026
Adjective
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For less than $100 a year, this travel card comes with an annual hotel credit, generous complimentary travel insurance, and neat rewards on dining, online groceries, and travel expenses.—
Katherine Fan,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
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Behind them, Lauren Lloyd, 33, visiting from Nashville, sat earnestly scribbling on her wish tag, which was filled from edge to edge with neat script.—
Deborah Vankin,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
Adjective
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Bateman shaped Clark from the page up, recasting a vain TV personality as a wide-eyed innocent who reads Floyd as a big brother.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Three Knights pitchers tried in vain as the Bruins diced up the diamond even though UCF walked UCLA and NCAA home-run leader Megan Grant three times.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
23 May 2026
Adjective
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Just snip away dead, damaged, or diseased branches to keep these shrubs looking trim.—
Lauren Landers,
The Spruce,
13 June 2026
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Both looks are in the same color, both have white trim, and even has similar pocket details.—
Rachel Burchfield,
InStyle,
13 June 2026
Adjective
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Avoid Burying Praise in Negatives To avoid making children too conceited, parents might bury praise in the midst of negatives.—
Wayne Parker,
Parents,
8 Mar. 2026
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The Pitt definitely feels like the type of workplace where conceited doctors-in-training are pretty much guaranteed to quickly get knocked down a peg.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Self-righteous and self-important, priggish and nagging.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
6 May 2026
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Only this time the interns are boring Gen Z stereotypes (obsessed with TikTok, too sensitive, too emotional, too self-important).—
Kelly Lawler,
USA Today,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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