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
Excitement—and smugness—hangs in London’s air since the city has gained its own outpost of the sceney eatery.
—
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Their attitude, their smugness was palpable.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Just as in real life when a too-good singer gets the mic at karaoke, the scene has a certain smugness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The smugness is thicker than split pea.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Their attitude, their smugness was palpable.
—Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Just as in real life when a too-good singer gets the mic at karaoke, the scene has a certain smugness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The smugness is thicker than split pea.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smugness
Noun
-
Over the vanity hung a neon sign in curlicue magenta script.—
Anna Wiener,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Here there are a dual sink vanity, a roomy shower, and a soaking tub.—
James Alexander,
Hartford Courant,
3 May 2026
Noun
-
In an era when youth sports can sometimes feel corrupted by money, pressure and adult ego, the Lee Corso Legacy Fund serves as a reminder of what sports are supposed to be about in the first place.—
Mike Bianchi,
The Orlando Sentinel,
6 May 2026
-
And today, as young fighters begin to be compared to him, there is no ego—only gratitude.—
Jorge Ebro
May 6,
Miami Herald,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
But nothing has replaced the void left by mining, which, though dangerous and poorly paid, galvanized those who descended into the earth with working-class pride and purpose.—
Alexander Smith,
NBC news,
6 May 2026
-
For Sandra De Anda, the network coordinator for Orange County Rapid Response Network, which connects immigrants to legal help and runs a hotline to report ICE sightings, the poll results are a source of pride.—
Hannah Fry,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
The arrogance here, however, is the gunman’s.—
Tom Nichols,
The Atlantic,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The doctor further explained that the traits of a narcissist encompass low empathy, arrogance, entitlement, grandiosity and pathological selfishness.—
Brie Stimson,
FOXNews.com,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Injuries and complacency were cited for the disappointing first-round exit.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
8 May 2026
-
Floyd’s sincerity, the startling extremity of his concern for the comfort of others, snaps Clark out of his depressed, and depressing, complacency.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There should be no smug self-satisfaction in the destructive power of bombs and deafening explosions.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Apr. 2026
-
My disappointment in Vigil came down to the waste of a perfect setup for exhibiting the worldly redemption of art—that is, its power to redeem us from insensitivity and self-satisfaction.—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smugness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smugness. Accessed 11 May. 2026.
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