1
as in arrogant
having too high an opinion of oneself
a winner who was so smug that he lost the goodwill of the crowd
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in tidy
being clean and in good order
the suburb's smug lawns and tree-lined streets bespeak a comfortable affluence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smug
And for those with smug grins outside the U.S. who still assume nothing changes — don’t be so sure.
—
Zak Doffman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
On Vanderpump Rules, this man was smug, pathetic, punchable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2025
João Franco Photo: Bravo/Mark Rogers/Bravo Deckhand/Bosun Below Deck Mediterranean
Seasons 3-4
—
2nd Officer/Bosun
Below Deck Down Under
Season 2
—
Why can’t someone knock the smug look off of this deckie turned bosun’s face?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
But the second half becomes increasingly generic conspiracy stuff, leading to a two-part conclusion that’s more smug and sanctimonious than the preceding action can justify.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smug 
Zak Doffman, Forbes, 15 Jan. 2025
On Vanderpump Rules, this man was smug, pathetic, punchable.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 14 Jan. 2025
João Franco Photo: Bravo/Mark Rogers/Bravo Deckhand/Bosun Below Deck Mediterranean
Seasons 3-4
—
2nd Officer/Bosun
Below Deck Down Under
Season 2
—
Why can’t someone knock the smug look off of this deckie turned bosun’s face?
—Brian Moylan, Vulture, 31 Dec. 2024
But the second half becomes increasingly generic conspiracy stuff, leading to a two-part conclusion that’s more smug and sanctimonious than the preceding action can justify.
—Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smug
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smug
Adjective
-
Saxon, for instance, is filling the same spoiled, arrogant space as Jake Lacy’s Shane from Season One.—
Alan Sepinwall,
Rolling Stone,
11 Feb. 2025
-
From director James Ashcroft (Coming Home in the Dark), who co-wrote the script with Eli Kent, The Rule of Jenny Pen centers on arrogant judge Stefan Mortensen (Rush), who has to live in a retirement home after a near-fatal stroke leaves him partially paralyzed.—
Sydney Bucksbaum,
EW.com,
3 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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But for households short on space, a bed that shares the same tidy footprint as a standard crib (and makes use of the same mattress and sheets) can be a godsend.—
Shoko Wanger,
Architectural Digest,
12 Feb. 2025
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Occasionally there are only 10 spare minutes in a day for cleaning. Luckily, according to our cleaning experts, that is more than enough time to make a visible dent in the chaos and help keep your home tidy.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
12 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
By drawing from his Mexican and Irish American roots, as well as his life as a proud gay man, Chavarria flaunts his progressive principles while creating new and novel experiences on the runway.—
Cat Cardenas,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Feb. 2025
-
Er, well, for the dozens of proud Vision Pro owners.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
8 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Twist in a neat midi knot or pin in a looser twist for a personalized style.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
18 Feb. 2025
-
But the neatest summation is probably that Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen are returning to their natural places in the Bundesliga.—
Sebastian Stafford-Bloor,
The Athletic,
16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
This was my chance to not be an actor, not have that stink of being an actor, that egotistical, show-off, controlling, making choices, being clever part of being an actor.—
Chris Vognar,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Dec. 2024
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The film, which centers on a group of egotistical actors making a Vietnam War movie, grossed nearly $200 million worldwide and picked up an Oscar nomination for supporting actor thanks to Robert Downey Jr.—
Zack Sharf,
Variety,
26 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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The jacket also included precise trim tape detailing, redefining the classic bomber silhouette.—
Julia Teti,
WWD,
10 Feb. 2025
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Toyota simplified the 2025 lineup, narrowing trim options to four, added all wheel drive, new colors, and some features to spice things up.—
Scotty Reiss,
Parents,
6 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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Their sacrifices remind us that doing what is right is never in vain, even when the path forward is unclear.—
Ed Gaskin,
Boston Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
-
But then the Reds discover humanity already reached the surface generations ago and that their work has been in vain, only to be kept under the thumb of the ruling class.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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This is the worst kind of football team: a conceited but objectively mediocre squad.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
The Mercury News,
17 Nov. 2024
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Rory Kinnear steals some of the best lines as the conceited British prime minister, and Ato Essandoh, as Kate’s deputy chief, plays the ever-flustered man surrounded by extremely capable women with admirable humor, charm, and confidence.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near smug
Cite this Entry
“Smug.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smug. Accessed 22 Feb. 2025.
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