SYNONYMS AND RELATED EXPRESSIONS
smug
adjective
Excessively pleased or satisfied with oneself.
Local English device voice, when available. This is not a recorded dictionary pronunciation.
Excessively self-satisfied
Closest synonyms
Related words and expressions
These extend or explain the idea and may require a different sentence structure.
Usage distinction
Return to topSmug criticizes unwarranted satisfaction with oneself. Self-righteous specifically concerns moral superiority, while complacent can describe insufficient concern about a risk.
CHECK THE MEANING IN CONTEXT
See smug in use
A smug prediction of easy victory proved premature.
Cam sounded arrogant when he announced that nobody else in the studio could match his judgment. After one minor suggestion was accepted, he became smug, looking excessively pleased with himself and treating the choice as proof that he needed no improvement.
Compare an alternative with the original word in each passage. Shared meanings do not make every pair interchangeable.
Synonym reference scope and sources
The groups distinguish the senses selected for this study entry. Closest synonyms and broader related expressions have separate labels. The listed sources support lexical selection; not every phrase is a direct quotation from a source.
How the synonym reference was prepared / WordNet 3.0 license