as in smart alec
a person who likes to show off in a clever but annoying way
if you weren't such a wise guy all the time, people might be more interested in hearing what you have to say
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Examples of wise guy in a Sentence
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The series quickly began to suggest that there was little difference between killing on screen and killing in real life, that show business could be as cruel and capricious as organized crime, and that wiseguys could be as ridiculous and fame-obsessed as any actor or talent agent.
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Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2023
Wayne is a wise guy who has no use for therapy.
—Wayne and Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Apr. 2023
Oh, a wise guy, eh?
—Matt Cooperlistings Coordinator, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2022
My father was not a wise guy or a tough guy.
—Eric Shawn, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wise guy 
Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 11 Apr. 2023
Wayne is a wise guy who has no use for therapy.
—Wayne and Wanda, Anchorage Daily News, 2 Apr. 2023
Oh, a wise guy, eh?
—Matt Cooperlistings Coordinator, Los Angeles Times, 7 Apr. 2022
My father was not a wise guy or a tough guy.
—Eric Shawn, Fox News, 18 Nov. 2021
See all Example Sentences for wise guy
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'wise guy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Wise guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wise%20guy. Accessed 20 Sep. 2024.
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