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
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Recent Examples of smug
The couple shared a social class and a smug distrust of anyone outside it.
—
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Its political class is smug, self-entitled, and has proved inept at improving the quality of the lives of Nigerians.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
However, Ralph has a smug attitude when talking to Brad.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Its political class is smug, self-entitled, and has proved inept at improving the quality of the lives of Nigerians.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
However, Ralph has a smug attitude when talking to Brad.
—Lisa Stardust, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
-
In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
-
Spock is this brilliant, arrogant, aloof-to-the-point-of-obnoxiousness genius.—
Richard Edwards,
Space.com,
18 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
As video footage from multiple angles has circulated, the incident has become increasingly complex and less amenable to a single, tidy narrative.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Vertical file folding for towels and clothes maximizes space and keeps drawers looking tidy longer.—
Melissa Epifano,
The Spruce,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
But the reaction is just as vast, and even more persistent, Angela was proud to tell me about Moon Palace’s place as a node in a larger community network.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Now 32, the Canadian is the proud owner of 25 X Games medals, including 14 gold total and eight in the slopestyle discipline.—
Michelle Bruton,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Materials of all kinds, including handwritten and typewritten pages and microfilm, are kept in neat rows of archival boxes, some stacked six shelves high.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
29 Jan. 2026
-
But who could expect such a neat and simple thing, Porter’s film asks, after all this?—
Sheri Linden,
HollywoodReporter,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Their efforts were not in vain.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
My vain hope today is to convince my newfound anti-Trump allies (who have disliked my years of writing against progressive policies) to view the current national nightmare as a teachable moment.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
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
-
But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
While Biber meticulously restored the original pine floors, plasterwork, trim, and central stair, nearly everything else was modernized behind the scenes.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
19 Jan. 2026
-
Doing so will protect your trim, paint, and even nearby drywall from mold growth and moisture damage.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
And women who foreground themselves in any capacity are often perceived to be self-important drama queens, or narcissists.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
22 Dec. 2025
-
Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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