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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smugness
Noun
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The result is an almost weary vanity, in which the author plays himself as if under duress, simultaneously flourishing and folding up the self.—
James Wood,
New Yorker,
14 July 2025 -
In the bathroom, a deep soaking tub grounds the space, paired with sleek fixtures and a spacious vanity.—
Ashlee Marie Preston,
Forbes.com,
10 July 2025
Noun
-
Our state and federal politicians must insist on order and basic due process in ICE’s performance of its duties, not the chaos and confusion inherent in playing up to Trump’s enormous ego, tiny vocabulary and constantly flip-flopping orders, statements and media posts.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 July 2025
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These are the sorts of fantasies that cultivate the delicate, fledgling egos of the inexperienced, giving them enough hope, whether about their good fortune or their capacity to aestheticize bad fortune, to continue into the uncertain future.—
Book Marks
July 3,
Literary Hub,
3 July 2025
Noun
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But much to the couple’s pride and relief, the crash didn’t pull the family apart.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 July 2025
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Strip away that pretense, and the real purpose comes clear: The administration wants to erase cities’ signs of pride and tolerance, and defiance is the only legitimate response.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
9 July 2025
Noun
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Putin’s arrogance in wanting total Ukrainian surrender could prove his downfall, if only Trump sticks to his position.—
Daniel Fried,
Time,
15 July 2025
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The arrogance wasn’t hers alone; many people have tried to assign the Tully monster a place in the tree of life since it was first discovered 70 years ago.—
Cody Cottier,
Discover Magazine,
8 July 2025
Noun
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One week later, serious questions remain about what actions local leaders took after ominous warnings from the National Weather Service, echoing other recent high-profile natural disasters marked by accusations of government complacency.—
Josh Campbell,
CNN Money,
12 July 2025
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Some choose complacency — seduced by comfort and the illusion that someone else will do the hard work of changing things.—
F. Willis Johnson,
Twin Cities,
10 July 2025
Noun
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Trump himself personifies stupidity’s essential feature — self-satisfaction, an inability to recognize the flaws in your thinking.—
David Brooks,
Mercury News,
16 Apr. 2025
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Just as there’s no dramatic build-up to Maria landing the part, there’s no romance to the process of acting it, nor the slightest whiff of self-satisfaction in recreating iconic scenes.—
David Ehrlich,
IndieWire,
21 Mar. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Smugness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smugness. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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