as in smart alecks
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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Recent Examples of wise guys
Framing wise guys on murder charges for Whitey Bulger, looking the other way on a gangland hit by a BPD detective in Canton in 1976, the list of scandals is too great to even list them all.
—
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
The Green Bay Packers made quite a Week 1 impression — at least with the wise guys in Las Vegas.
—Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 14 Jan. 2026
The Green Bay Packers made quite a Week 1 impression — at least with the wise guys in Las Vegas.
—Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Wise guys.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wise%20guys. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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