1
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
you wouldn't be so smart-alecky if you were the one having the surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
smart-alecky comments from a coworker about her new clothes
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smart-alecky
Less is required of Anderson’s jaded, booze-sodden Jeff, but this smart-alecky sidekick is re-imagined with crackling comic vitality.
—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Even at its most sorrowful, anti-authoritarian, and smart-alecky, Gunn’s work endorses a fundamentally promising vision of life.
—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Cleverbot veers from sounding like a winsome waif to coming across as a drunk, smart-alecky fifteen-year-old who talks in non sequiturs.
—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
20 May 2026
Even at its most sorrowful, anti-authoritarian, and smart-alecky, Gunn’s work endorses a fundamentally promising vision of life.
—
Matt Zoller Seitz,
Vulture,
31 Oct. 2025
Cleverbot veers from sounding like a winsome waif to coming across as a drunk, smart-alecky fifteen-year-old who talks in non sequiturs.
—
Patricia Marx,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
Adjective
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Berries, given their naturally tiny nature, are a super cute choice.
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The pair have to find their friends (JJ included) which leads to a cute game of peekaboo.
Adjective
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This is taken as evidence of his status, not a sarcastic criticism.
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On Monday night, Contreras was ejected in the second inning after a check-swing strikeout prompted him to give a sarcastic ABS challenge gesture at the umpire, earning an instant boot.
Adjective
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The bar program is playful, colorful and communal — expect to see a little something for everyone.
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The playful exchange is the latest glimpse into the couple's famously candid relationship.
Adjective
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The script for the video was written by Casale and his longtime friend Max Papeschi, an Italian satirical artist.
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Staff members of the satirical magazine Leman are on trial on charges of inciting hatred over a cartoon published last year that features the Prophet Mohammed and Moses.
Adjective
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Avocado, tomatillos, a serrano pepper, and lime are mixed together in just five minutes to make a bright and acidic dip that's served best with your favorite tortilla chips.
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It’s absorbed without needing food or a highly acidic environment.
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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