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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of smug
In a comedic twist, the Labrador retriever was filmed turning back to his owner during the drive, with a smug look on his face as if to boast about his comfortable spot.
—
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
The letter writer’s smug verbiage may play well in one-party Maryland, but nationally, Americans seek a more collaborative, less agitational approach to political dialogue and reject arrogant, elitist insults spouted by some Democrats.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2025
To Jost’s great credit, none of it would work without his willingness to stand there and serve as a punching bag, something that previous smug anchors, such as Dennis Miller, would have never allowed.
—Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 17 May 2025
Twenty-three years of a smug, smarmy host, and a bunch of sportswriters desperate for sound bites and attention.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 June 2025
The letter writer’s smug verbiage may play well in one-party Maryland, but nationally, Americans seek a more collaborative, less agitational approach to political dialogue and reject arrogant, elitist insults spouted by some Democrats.
—Reader Commentary, Baltimore Sun, 8 June 2025
To Jost’s great credit, none of it would work without his willingness to stand there and serve as a punching bag, something that previous smug anchors, such as Dennis Miller, would have never allowed.
—Michael Tedder, The Atlantic, 17 May 2025
Twenty-three years of a smug, smarmy host, and a bunch of sportswriters desperate for sound bites and attention.
—Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
-
Her larger-than-life ego and past as a shaman make Player 044 come off as arrogant and selfish, getting under just about everyone's skin.—
EW.com,
EW.com,
4 July 2025
-
In 2022, Ackles joined the cast of Prime Video's The Boys as arrogant superhero Soldier Boy.—
Brianne Tracy,
People.com,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
It’s located right next to the Sandbox in a tidy food truck but packs a big punch.—
Jeff Goudy,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
-
Into that void steps AI: tidy, responsive, nonjudgmental.—
Kelly Monahan,
Fortune,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Our more than 18,000 Bombardier employees are proud to welcome this new, important customer to our family.—
Doug Gollan,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
-
But despite everything, we were driven by passion and the desire to achieve results, and many Italians who lived there as immigrants were proud of us.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
Draper, up 30–love against Báez, sent a forehand into the corner that was so neat in its curve, so complete in its unanswerableness, that the crowd was very briefly silenced altogether.—
Sam Knight,
New Yorker,
12 July 2025
-
It’s been really neat to have Jack there as a reflection point throughout that process.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
11 July 2025
Adjective
-
Such an obvious way to exhibit his egotistical personality.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
22 June 2025
-
Responding to questions from defense lawyer Teny Geragos, Jane agreed that Combs became more apologetic and attentive, less egotistical and cold.—
NBC News,
NBC news,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
The pair both feature a bespoke red leather by Connolly trim, which matches rather well with the features of the recording space; the duo is also hand-finished in vintage walnut, inspired by the various instruments that have graced the studio throughout the decades.—
Nicole Hoey,
Robb Report,
2 July 2025
-
Nissan Rogue and Nissan Pathfinder discounts range from $670 to a whopping $1,930 depending on the trim level.—
Charles Singh,
The Tennessean,
2 July 2025
Adjective
-
Thou shalt not take the Name of the Lord thy God in vain.—
Lina Ruiz,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 June 2025
-
Some men smeared cedar sap on their faces in a vain effort to repel mosquitoes and deerflies.—
/ CBS News,
CBS News,
13 June 2025
Adjective
-
This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
-
Rory Kinnear steals some of the best lines as the conceited British prime minister, and Ato Essandoh, as Kate’s deputy chief, plays the ever-flustered man surrounded by extremely capable women with admirable humor, charm, and confidence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share