as in vanity
an often unjustified feeling of being pleased with oneself or with one's situation or achievements
the sense of smugness that can come with too many easy victories
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Recent Examples of smugness
Their attitude, their smugness was palpable.
—
Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Just as in real life when a too-good singer gets the mic at karaoke, the scene has a certain smugness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The smugness is thicker than split pea.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 21 Mar. 2026
Just as in real life when a too-good singer gets the mic at karaoke, the scene has a certain smugness.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 20 Mar. 2026
The smugness is thicker than split pea.
—Josh Brown,sean Russo, CNBC, 4 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smugness
Noun
-
Xiarhos says this time around feels different because of a special new Massachusetts vanity license plate that benefits K-9s and their caretakers.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Accessories include vanity bags, bowling bags and thong sandals.—
Angela Velasquez,
Footwear News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Drop your ego, keep the accountability, and focus on improvement.—
Johnny C. Taylor Jr,
USA Today,
31 Mar. 2026
-
In a curiosity divested of ego.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Kendra, for Joseph, for the whole family, wake up and repent of their pride, their feeling of the world is against them, get things right in their family.—
Anthony Robledo,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
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If festive pride persists, it is no longer connected to a country, empire, culture, or race, but the unique traditions of individual municipalities, pitted against one another in fierce but friendly, sportsmanlike rivalries.—
Tim Brinkhof,
JSTOR Daily,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More accurately, these failings are arrogance and incompetence.—
DP Opinion,
Denver Post,
4 Apr. 2026
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Listen to Martyr Khamenei's words on why Islamic governments and nations must stand united and fight the US arrogance in the region.—
Steven Stalinsky,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
This awareness prevents the complacency that precedes disaster.—
Brendan Keegan,
Rolling Stone,
3 Apr. 2026
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To Mitch Johnson, complacency is antithetical to that process.—
Jeff McDonald,
San Antonio Express-News,
2 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
My disappointment in Vigil came down to the waste of a perfect setup for exhibiting the worldly redemption of art—that is, its power to redeem us from insensitivity and self-satisfaction.—
Julius Taranto,
The Atlantic,
27 Jan. 2026
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There’s a fine line between righteousness and self-satisfaction, and the second season, which premieres on HBO Max on January 8, frequently stumbles into the latter territory.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
6 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smugness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smugness. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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