1
as in arrogant
having too high an opinion of oneself
a winner who was so smug that he lost the goodwill of the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tidy
being clean and in good order
the suburb's smug lawns and tree-lined streets bespeak a comfortable affluence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
And the smug, menacing man that Hamish Linklater was portraying?
—
Ew Staff December 5, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
The couple shared a social class and a smug distrust of anyone outside it.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Its political class is smug, self-entitled, and has proved inept at improving the quality of the lives of Nigerians.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Ew Staff December 5, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Dec. 2025
The couple shared a social class and a smug distrust of anyone outside it.
—Rachel Syme, New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2025
Its political class is smug, self-entitled, and has proved inept at improving the quality of the lives of Nigerians.
—Kingsley Moghalu, semafor.com, 10 Nov. 2025
But Minnesota, with or without its unapologetically smug superstar, has been the Nuggets’ kryptonite for more than a year.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 28 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
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He is paired with an arrogant young partner (Lou), a second-generation political scion whose personality clashes sharply with his own.—
Jesse Whittock,
Deadline,
29 Jan. 2026
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In the early years of his fame as a writer, Rushdie had something of a reputation for being prickly and arrogant, but Gibney’s portrait reveals a man mellowed by time and experience.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
The beds are arranged in tidy rows and planted with vegetables.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
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Use a cord management system to keep your cables tidy and hidden.—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
10 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Playing in this year's Super Bowl was Rockwall legend Jaxon Smith-Njigba, and the Rockwall community couldn't be prouder of him, holding a watch party in his honor.—
Briseida Holguin,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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The Patriots’ defense, however, should stand proud after Sunday’s contest.—
Doug Kyed,
Hartford Courant,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Separating garden areas will keep your vegetable plantings neat and orderly, which makes weeding and harvesting easier.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
5 Feb. 2026
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Rochelle typed six section signs — § — in a neat column at the top of the page.—
Jayme Fraser,
USA Today,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Robbie, who proved her deadpan comedic acting chops in Barbie, is a joy as the flighty, vain, fast-talking Cathy, totally lacking in self-awareness.—
Radhika Seth,
Vogue,
9 Feb. 2026
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Deliver on defense Boston led the league with 116 errors last year, a source of ongoing frustration for the manager, who has spent most of his tenure preaching the need for lockdown defense on a near-constant basis and in vain.—
Gabrielle Starr,
Boston Herald,
9 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Pitt definitely feels like the type of workplace where conceited doctors-in-training are pretty much guaranteed to quickly get knocked down a peg.—
Megan McCluskey,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
But Grande’s conceited blonde bubblehead gains in stature here as Glinda assumes statesmanlike responsibility to spread goodness in Oz, while experiencing crushing romantic disappointment that humbles her and deflates her vanity.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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Expect to see warmer, richer colors in their place—like muted terracotta, ochre, clay, olive, and rich browns—woven into wood paneling, trim, fabrics, and stone.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
6 Feb. 2026
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Spiber and AMSilk are exploring ways to safely recycle or biodegrade seat covers and trim.—
Srishti Gupta,
Interesting Engineering,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And women who foreground themselves in any capacity are often perceived to be self-important drama queens, or narcissists.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
22 Dec. 2025
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Jeffrey Tambor Known for playing the pompous, self-important mayor of Whoville, Jeffery Tambor also has an esteemed career across television and film.—
Alice Gibbs,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 16 Feb. 2026.
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