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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
João Franco Photo: Bravo/Mark Rogers/Bravo Deckhand/Bosun Below Deck Mediterranean
Seasons 3-4
—
2nd Officer/Bosun
Below Deck Down Under
Season 2
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Why can’t someone knock the smug look off of this deckie turned bosun’s face?
—
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
But the second half becomes increasingly generic conspiracy stuff, leading to a two-part conclusion that’s more smug and sanctimonious than the preceding action can justify.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024
Like David, Danson appeared as a pretentious and smug version of himself on the beloved series.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Yet the people posting vitriolic comments about Thompson feel justified in being smug about the death of this human in particular.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smug 
Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
But the second half becomes increasingly generic conspiracy stuff, leading to a two-part conclusion that’s more smug and sanctimonious than the preceding action can justify.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024
Like David, Danson appeared as a pretentious and smug version of himself on the beloved series.
—Esther Kang, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Yet the people posting vitriolic comments about Thompson feel justified in being smug about the death of this human in particular.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 7 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
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The Inside Llewyn Davis star plays Victor Frankenstein, the arrogant scientist who successfully creates life out of an assemblage of deceased body parts.—
Wesley Stenzel,
EW.com,
30 Jan. 2025
-
An arrogant advertiser at the peak of success is forced to promote a tycoon as a presidential candidate, while a mysterious stalker threatens to destroy his agency and his reputation.—
Rafa Sales Ross,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The book appears to have all of its original pages, which are covered with tidy penmanship.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
4 Feb. 2025
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Oliveira, known by neighbors as a quiet tenant who frequently could be seen sitting and writing intently in her tidy apartment with the door ajar, did not survive.—
Ellen Moynihan,
New York Daily News,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
The two grew up in Deir ez-Zor, the largest city in northeastern Syria, a proud, ancient place on the banks of the Euphrates.—
Jon Lee Anderson,
The New Yorker,
27 Jan. 2025
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Letting go is tough, but Wolfhard is proud of the way the show will conclude.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The mix of opaque and see-through drawers keeps the closet neat without becoming too orderly.—
Ella Field,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Jan. 2025
-
Life was not wonderful with Hummels and terrible without — that is far too neat — but the absence of personality is now particularly striking, never more so than during the defeat by Holstein Kiel last week.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
The Athletic,
23 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This was my chance to not be an actor, not have that stink of being an actor, that egotistical, show-off, controlling, making choices, being clever part of being an actor.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2024
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The film, which centers on a group of egotistical actors making a Vietnam War movie, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide and picked up an Oscar nomination for supporting actor thanks to Robert Downey Jr.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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On the fifth floor, we’re greeted by the apartment’s owner, Ryan, a trim mid-30s guy in all-black athleisure who bought the place for $4.5 million in 2022.—
Bridget Read,
Curbed,
15 Jan. 2025
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What the Sorento offers is a quiet, versatile ride, a lot of trim choices, sufficient cargo space, fair pricing and the manufacturer’s best-in-the-industry 10-year, 100,000 limited powertrain warranty.—
James Raia,
The Mercury News,
12 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Her brothers, Johnny, Aaron and Jesse Matthews, have suffered for seven years, trying in vain to pry answers from the authorities.—
Ariane Lange,
Sacramento Bee,
26 Jan. 2025
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Everyone is skewered, from journalists and critics to agents and producers to, of course, vain movie stars, in this delightful, ultimately poignant parody.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
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Rory Kinnear steals some of the best lines as the conceited British prime minister, and Ato Essandoh, as Kate’s deputy chief, plays the ever-flustered man surrounded by extremely capable women with admirable humor, charm, and confidence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near smug
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.
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