as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the sense of smugness that can come with too many easy victories
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Recent Examples of smugness
The smugness is thicker than split pea.
—
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Where Spider masked his incompetence with bravado and abrasiveness, Claude put up a thin layer of smugness that collapsed when faced with even a tiny amount of resistance.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Where Spider masked his incompetence with bravado and abrasiveness, Claude put up a thin layer of smugness that collapsed when faced with even a tiny amount of resistance.
—Brian Grubb, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smugness
Noun
-
Posing on top of an antique vanity and inside a wooden cabinet, Bieber cycled through a parade of sheer lace, see-through mesh, and strappy designs in shades of red, black, pink, and cream.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
7 Jan. 2026
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Store liquids—such as lotion, makeup, perfumes, and skincare—on a tray to protect your vanity table or bathroom cabinet.—
Abby Wolner,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Exceptional leadership doesn’t come from theatrics or titles, but from choosing presence over distraction, courage over comfort, and curiosity over ego.—
Rodger Dean Duncan,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Tariffs, conquests; all are subverted to this man’s ego.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
For Bilal, a Germantown native, the nomination represents both personal pride and a connection to the city's music traditions.—
Eva Andersen,
CBS News,
21 Jan. 2026
-
In this company, Chalamet’s art-school pedigree is a badge of pride; therefore his sound bites emphasized toil and study.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
21 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Miami, Fort Lauderdale and West Palm Beach take turns transforming into floating marketplaces — docks converted to catwalks, hulls polished to reflective arrogance, sales reps who can quote fuel burn like yacht owners care about costs.—
Eric Barton,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
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College football is awash in problems, including the Big Ten’s unrivaled arrogance, and its never-ending list of demands that would make Notre Dame blush.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
1 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Volatility pricing Another clear sign of market complacency is volatility — or rather, the lack thereof.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Education is the natural enemy of complacency and autocracy.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
-
Enmired in the self-satisfactions and unnamed timidities of childhood, Galinda finds in herself neither canniness nor the need to cultivate it.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
30 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smugness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smugness. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
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