wise guy

noun

1
2
usually wiseguy : mobster

Examples of wise guy in a Sentence

Quit being a wise guy. No more wise-guy remarks, got it? a movie about two wiseguys
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Celebrity deaths 2025: Remembering the stars who've died this year Chris Robinson, 'General Hospital' and 'Bold and the Beautiful' star, dies at 86 His appearance in a single episode of Frasier, as wise guy Jerome Balasco, earned Yulin an Emmy nomination. Shania Russell, EW.com, 11 June 2025 And for the most part, the wise guys weren't overly impressed with the Green Bay Packers’ offseason. Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 6 May 2025 The wise guys that summarily swooped him up were rewarded with 10 multiple-TD games and a QB8 finish on the year. Bill Reinhard, New York Daily News, 30 Jan. 2025 Swaggering ex-con Sullivan’s conscience manifests in the form of Father Jerry Connolly (Pat O’Brien), the childhood friend turned cleric who does his best to keep the wise guys in line and set another example for the lovable, mischievous Dead End Kids. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for wise guy

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wise guy was in 1896

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wise guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wise%20guy. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

wise guy

noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!