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
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Dissections of power and masculinity that once bristled with adversarial vitality evolved into arid dialectics and windy anecdotes pickled in smug cynicism and lacking in thematic clarity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for smug
Adjective
Everyone’s relationship has, yes, seasons, and each couple weathers a few different ones during the show, with smug closeness eroding into terse bitterness, doting affection into resentful frustration.
—Margaret Lyons, New York Times, 1 May 2025
Dissections of power and masculinity that once bristled with adversarial vitality evolved into arid dialectics and windy anecdotes pickled in smug cynicism and lacking in thematic clarity.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
-
Richard was known for being outspoken, if not arrogant, consistently rubbing his Tagi tribe the wrong way and offending some of them with his blatant display of nudity on the island.—
Nick Caruso,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
-
Multiple people described him to me as unpopular and arrogant.—
Amanda Chicago Lewis,
Harpers Magazine,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
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
Noun
-
Fueled by new data and shifting cultural values, injectables are being redefined—not as vanity, but as a personalized pathway to confidence, wellness, and long-term care.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2025
-
In a hot pink colorway, the clutch will become your vanity’s newest conversation piece.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
22 May 2025
Adjective
-
The city has a long and proud history of coming together through difficult times.—
Chloe Mayer
Shane Croucher,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 May 2025
-
At Ferrara, which has a long, proud history of making candy in Chicago, the business outlook is still positive, according to Greg Guidotti, chief marketing officer.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
All five are exceptional and function equally well when served neat or as a cocktail base.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
24 May 2025
-
The instruction booklet is thorough, and filled with lots of neat science titbits and facts too.—
Ian Stokes,
Space.com,
23 May 2025
Noun
-
Just observationally, there seemed to be a very high crossover between those of you with the inflated ego to list 16 teams and those of you who thought Dallas was going to lose to Colorado.—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
-
The result is an entirely incoherent crime thriller that features gangsters prattling on about the self and the ego and the soul and then occasionally wandering into an entirely different scene where other gangsters are prattling on about the same thing.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
27 May 2025
Adjective
-
Sid Justice, though competent in other matches, is given few opportunities to prove himself as a rising star against the notoriously egotistical Hogan.—
Daniel Dockery,
Vulture,
21 Apr. 2025
-
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
Adjective
-
Front and rear parking sensors, a heated steering wheel, leather upholstery and paddle shifters highlight the trim level.—
James Raia,
Mercury News,
18 May 2025
-
There are six trim levels in total and the pricing is as follows: LX: $28,690 (starting MSRP) EX: $30,490 (starting MSRP) SX: $34,290 (starting MSRP) SX Prestige: $36,290 (starting MSRP) X-Line: $32,990 (starting MSRP) X-Pro Prestige: $39,590 (starting MSRP) Need a break?—
Charles Singh,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 6 Jun. 2025.
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