1
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
a talk show host who's known for his quick quips and smart-aleck observations on current events
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
a smart-aleck reply that was met with a slap in the face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also smart alec
as in wise guy
a person who likes to show off in a clever but annoying way
some smart aleck in the audience kept shouting clever insults at the nervous speaker
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Recent Examples of smart-aleck
Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
This fuzzy, snout-nosed, smart aleck extraterrestrial whose name was Gordon Shumway crashed in the suburban garage of the Tanner family in California after escaping from the doomed planet of Melmac, which was destroyed by nuclear war.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Newton scored and so did backcourt mate Cam Spencer, that different style of smart aleck, who had 20.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
Perry portrayed sweet, sarcastic smart aleck Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on Friends, garnering an Emmy nomination.
—EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023
In this series launch, Billingham unveils a brash — and battered — smart aleck protagonist.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2023
With a smart aleck’s wit and a knack for clear-eyed lyrics, the Brooklyn singer is a sympathetic narrator.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 5 May 2023
In real life, however, Mr. Jaffee was the opposite of a smart aleck: a genteel, unassuming man whose in-person humor was delivered with a wink, not a cudgel.
—Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
Noun
And here's the good news for Love: As a counter to address the smart aleck defenses, offenses started running the ball more against units deployed to defend the pass.
—Armando Salguero Outkick, FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026
This fuzzy, snout-nosed, smart aleck extraterrestrial whose name was Gordon Shumway crashed in the suburban garage of the Tanner family in California after escaping from the doomed planet of Melmac, which was destroyed by nuclear war.
—Jeff Spry, Space.com, 24 Aug. 2025
Newton scored and so did backcourt mate Cam Spencer, that different style of smart aleck, who had 20.
—Dom Amore, Hartford Courant, 13 June 2024
Perry portrayed sweet, sarcastic smart aleck Chandler Bing for 10 seasons on Friends, garnering an Emmy nomination.
—EW.com, 29 Oct. 2023
In this series launch, Billingham unveils a brash — and battered — smart aleck protagonist.
—Erin Douglass, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Aug. 2023
With a smart aleck’s wit and a knack for clear-eyed lyrics, the Brooklyn singer is a sympathetic narrator.
—Globe Staff, BostonGlobe.com, 5 May 2023
In real life, however, Mr. Jaffee was the opposite of a smart aleck: a genteel, unassuming man whose in-person humor was delivered with a wink, not a cudgel.
—Neil Genzlinger, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-aleck
Adjective
-
Walter, who had left the Progressive Labor Party, didn’t preach Marxism to his son, but Riley embraced a radical-left viewpoint on his own, after tagging along with some cute older girls who were participating in a cannery workers’ strike.—
Emily Nussbaum,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
He's described as being cute, with chin-length dark hair, dimples and a diamond stud in one ear.—
Jennifer McClellan,
USA Today,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
Hollywood celebs ran the gamut, from Brad Pitt—who drove one GT onto the bridge—to Jacob Elordi and Kevin Hart, while Blink 182 played a surprisingly sarcastic mini set.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
20 May 2026
-
Kara, wearing a vintage Blondie T-shirt and brown trench coat, fights them off while making sarcastic quips, almost Han Solo-like.—
Kate Aurthur,
Variety,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The wise guys already view Denver suspiciously, casting them with the 12th-best odds to reach the Super Bowl next February.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
1 Feb. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
Chick lit was flippant and fizzy and fun, above all, as effervescent and guiltless as a vodka soda.—
Hillary Busis,
Vanity Fair,
4 May 2026
-
During his Monday night Daily Show episode, the political comic blasted the POTUS’ flippant attitude toward his largely unfavorable military decisions in the SWANA region.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Its satirical aim feels spot-on.—
Inkoo Kang,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Carter was the founder of the satirical monthly Spy and newsletter Air Mail.—
Matt Donnelly,
Variety,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
As the tissue breaks down, your mouth loses its protective barrier against germs, acidic foods, and irritation.—
Brandi Jones,
Health,
19 May 2026
-
Pairing hot peppers with acidic ingredients, such as lime juice or vinegar, or with dairy, can help neutralize some of the jalapeño heat.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smart-aleck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-aleck. Accessed 23 May. 2026.
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