complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplā-sᵊn(t)-sē 
plural complacencies
1
: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies
When it comes to safety, complacency can be dangerous.
2
: an instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction
Examples of complacency in a Sentence
He sees a dangerous sense of complacency about the U.S. stock market—where investors were emboldened after the 1998 downturn was followed by a resounding snapback.
—
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Recent Examples on the Web
The reasons include a stale concept, slow innovation, and operational complacency.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
If curiosity is a significant part of our DNA, another part is the fear of complacency, a fear of fear, of getting stuck.
—William Earl, Variety, 11 June 2025
Having used tariffs to shake trading partners out of their complacency, the United States can work with these countries to negotiate a reset of the trading system—one that preserves many of the advantages of the old system while rectifying its shortcomings.
—Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
And if that happens, the politicians’ complacency will hit a wall.
—Clive Crook, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
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Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 19 June 2025
If curiosity is a significant part of our DNA, another part is the fear of complacency, a fear of fear, of getting stuck.
—William Earl, Variety, 11 June 2025
Having used tariffs to shake trading partners out of their complacency, the United States can work with these countries to negotiate a reset of the trading system—one that preserves many of the advantages of the old system while rectifying its shortcomings.
—Emily Kilcrease, Foreign Affairs, 9 June 2025
And if that happens, the politicians’ complacency will hit a wall.
—Clive Crook, Twin Cities, 29 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
Cite this Entry
“Complacency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complacency. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.
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complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplās-ᵊn-sē
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