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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
What’s more important than the why, though, is the pattern Dark Winds uses these characters to establish: of the corrupted nature of the U.S. government and the smug untouchability of its allies and actors.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
The washers contain a large haul of cocaine, which Mia and Charlie are tasked with delivering to the Chinatown hangout of smug young local Triad boss Tsui Fong (Jeremy Ang Jones) to square up a debt.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
Drew continues to dutifully poke holes in Brit’s victim narrative, telling the new girl that her smug attitude following Kenya’s firing is alienating.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
This brings me back to the siege of Jackson, which happens at the same time as Abby’s smug speechifying and Joel-torturing up at the lodge.
—Noel Murray, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 28 Apr. 2025
The washers contain a large haul of cocaine, which Mia and Charlie are tasked with delivering to the Chinatown hangout of smug young local Triad boss Tsui Fong (Jeremy Ang Jones) to square up a debt.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 24 Apr. 2025
Drew continues to dutifully poke holes in Brit’s victim narrative, telling the new girl that her smug attitude following Kenya’s firing is alienating.
—Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 21 Apr. 2025
This brings me back to the siege of Jackson, which happens at the same time as Abby’s smug speechifying and Joel-torturing up at the lodge.
—Noel Murray, New York Times, 21 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
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For example, when a man in his sixties talks about the same thing, he’s seen as calm and logical, but when a woman in her twenties talks about it, she’s seen as arrogant or trying to act mature.—
Billboard Japan,
Billboard,
15 May 2025
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By losing some of its arrogant charm, Doom has also lost the means to back it up.—
Christopher Cruz,
Rolling Stone,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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Memorial Day is a great time to buy a lawnmower Warm weather has arrived, and with that comes yardwork to keep your home tidy.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
22 May 2025
-
Keep it tidy with some storage for your gear so your space feels organized, not chaotic.—
Sho Dewan,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.—
Jaylon Thompson,
Kansas City Star,
15 May 2025
-
The narrative continues to evolve, due in no small part to proud descendants of Hiram, James and Wallace.—
Jacoba Urist,
Smithsonian Magazine,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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All five are exceptional and function equally well when served neat or as a cocktail base.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
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The instruction booklet is thorough, and filled with lots of neat science titbits and facts too.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
Adjective
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And for any fan of the show — and Wilson’s over-the-top, egotistical Dwight — the lyrics might not be a total surprise.—
Victoria Edel,
People.com,
15 Apr. 2025
-
In the 1998 episode, Theroux, 53, appears briefly as an egotistical writer who flirts with Parker’s Carrie Bradshaw at a party.—
John Russell,
People.com,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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And all of the above actually contributes to the Tiguan losing weight while evolving from the second to third generation, shaving about 160 lbs (72.5 kg), depending on trim.—
Michael Teo Van Runkle,
ArsTechnica,
16 May 2025
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That's indeed trimmer than the Acer Swift 14 AI (0.74 by 12.3 by 8.8 inches), but a bit larger than the 13.4-inch Dell XPS 13 (0.58 by 11.6 by 7.8 inches).—
Eric Grevstad,
PC Magazine,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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While the issue was addressed before in vain, Macron hinted that it could be considered this time around.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
23 May 2025
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Her very intimate use of the camera added by a relentless patience gives the film a meditational feeling that ultimately works beyond mere and vain life philosophy.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
9 May 2025
Adjective
-
This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
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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 29 May. 2025.
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