smarmier; smarmiest
1
: revealing or marked by a smug, ingratiating, or false earnestness
a tone of smarmy self-satisfaction—
New Yorker
New Yorker2
: of low sleazy taste or quality
smarmy eroticism
Did you know?
The history of smarmy is oily. Etymologists don't know where smarm (the verb from which it is based) came from, but they do know that it meant "to smear" or "to make smooth or oily" before gaining the meaning "to flatter." The adjective smarmy comes from the latter meaning.
Examples of smarmy in a Sentence
Yes, he's a smarmy know-it-all with the personality of a hall monitor, the kind of guy everyone hides from at a Christmas party.
—Bill Simmons, ESPN, 2 Aug. 2004
Perhaps not—but Zarrella's absence is giving prime-time exposure to Channel 9 sports backups Drew Soicher, Carol Maloney and Rod Mackey, any of whom is preferable to the main man, whose on-air presence has grown smarmier with each passing year.
—Michael Roberts, Denver Westword, 15 Mar. 2001
Norman's attempt at setting the Holly story straight is a well-researched volume in which Holly comes across as a talented, fun-loving guy who carried the torch for a high-school sweetheart with strong religious convictions; who blindly signed over much of his future income to Norman Perry, his smarmy producer and manager; and who endured grueling concert tours of the U.S. and Britain.
—Genevieve Stuttaford, Publishers Weekly, 12 Aug.1996
Bill Simmons, ESPN, 2 Aug. 2004
Perhaps not—but Zarrella's absence is giving prime-time exposure to Channel 9 sports backups Drew Soicher, Carol Maloney and Rod Mackey, any of whom is preferable to the main man, whose on-air presence has grown smarmier with each passing year.
—Michael Roberts, Denver Westword, 15 Mar. 2001
Norman's attempt at setting the Holly story straight is a well-researched volume in which Holly comes across as a talented, fun-loving guy who carried the torch for a high-school sweetheart with strong religious convictions; who blindly signed over much of his future income to Norman Perry, his smarmy producer and manager; and who endured grueling concert tours of the U.S. and Britain.
—Genevieve Stuttaford, Publishers Weekly, 12 Aug.1996
Recent Examples on the Web
On the plane is one of the smarmiest characters ever to grace Industry’s screen, which is saying something, as most of our characters are not exactly hypermoral types.
—Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2024
But then come the unusual subjects: a collection of adolescent clones of historical figures, including Abe Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, Gandhi, and an extremely smarmy JFK, brought to life as part of a nefarious government experiment.
—Paul Schrodt, Vulture, 23 May 2023
However, Farrell infuses the character with a kind of smarmy charm that barely masks his overflowing ambition.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Simon, a smarmy British artist, is largely absent from the story, appearing mostly in brief flashbacks and, late in the film, at the cottage itself, uninvited after Alice confesses her whereabouts to him over the phone.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for smarmy 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nina Li Coomes, Vulture, 25 Aug. 2024
But then come the unusual subjects: a collection of adolescent clones of historical figures, including Abe Lincoln, Joan of Arc, Cleopatra, Gandhi, and an extremely smarmy JFK, brought to life as part of a nefarious government experiment.
—Paul Schrodt, Vulture, 23 May 2023
However, Farrell infuses the character with a kind of smarmy charm that barely masks his overflowing ambition.
—Chris Snellgrove, EW.com, 23 Jan. 2023
Simon, a smarmy British artist, is largely absent from the story, appearing mostly in brief flashbacks and, late in the film, at the cottage itself, uninvited after Alice confesses her whereabouts to him over the phone.
—Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post, 17 Jan. 2023
See all Example Sentences for smarmy
Dictionary Entries Near smarmy
Cite this Entry
“Smarmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smarmy. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share