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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Recent Examples of smart-aleck
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
The Idea Oven — a suggestion box for half-baked whims, inspirations and notions for new products, businesses or innovations — was a regular feature in this column at the turn of the century (yes, this century, smart aleck).
—Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 30 Apr. 2021
Noun
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
The Idea Oven — a suggestion box for half-baked whims, inspirations and notions for new products, businesses or innovations — was a regular feature in this column at the turn of the century (yes, this century, smart aleck).
—Eric Zorn, chicagotribune.com, 30 Apr. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-aleck
Adjective
-
Real Arizonans know that Valentine's Day is so much more than an excuse for candy and cute notes.—
Becky Bartkowski,
AZCentral.com,
14 Feb. 2026
-
From workplace romances to relationships built from body horror events, these are the precious pairs encouraging everyone to choose love above all and make that cute hand heart gesture.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
14 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Tom Lester played Eb Dawson, the Douglases' sarcastic young farmhand.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
25 Jan. 2026
-
The worse things are going, the more bitter and sarcastic my humor sometimes gets.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
24 Jan. 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
-
Supporters argue flippant names show Trump is serious Immigration operation names have also received backlash for taking inspiration from pop culture.—
Matt Brown,
Fortune,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Such comments strike a somewhat flippant note in view of the disparity between MacSwiney’s and Proust’s circumstances, which included frequent outings to the Ritz in the latter’s case.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The only thing that may be crazier than the actual football life is this satirical comedy-drama that has more to do with a hedonistic existence than play-action passes.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
6 Feb. 2026
-
But it’s set apart from the rest of her work by a long, satirical section sending up gothic fiction and its fans.—
Boris Kachka,
The Atlantic,
6 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
Aluminum foil is heat resistant and can be used to line pans or cover dishes, but isn't nonstick, and may not be safe for acidic food applications.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
9 Feb. 2026
-
The acidic content in vinegar breaks down mineral deposits, hard water stains, and buildup and neutralizes odors.—
Maria Sabella,
The Spruce,
8 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smart-aleck.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-aleck. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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