1
as in nonchalant
having or showing a lack of interest or concern
the auditors were taken aback by his complacent response to their findings of fraud
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smug
having too high an opinion of oneself
a complacent junior exec who was certain of his indispensability to the company
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of complacent
The back-to-back Western Conference finalists have looked complacent at times, and Hyland has emerged from deep on the bench to give the second unit a jolt, the latest coming courtesy of 18 points in an important win in Denver on Sunday.
—
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
To a complacent, be-cool-and-get-over-it nineties sensibility, this might have sounded like overwrought posturing.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
But when onboard autonomy handles most of the work, operators can become bored, complacent, and less alert.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
But the government is remarkably complacent on this front.
—Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complacent
Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 3 Mar. 2026
To a complacent, be-cool-and-get-over-it nineties sensibility, this might have sounded like overwrought posturing.
—Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
But when onboard autonomy handles most of the work, operators can become bored, complacent, and less alert.
—Missy Cummings, IEEE Spectrum, 2 Mar. 2026
But the government is remarkably complacent on this front.
—Sarah Jeong, The Verge, 1 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for complacent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for complacent
Adjective
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While a warm, four-bar bassline chugs alongside dubby stabs and bouncy swells, BEA1991’s vocals switch from nonchalant monotone to falsetto in a way that sounds like an involuntary yelp of joy.—
Reid BG,
Pitchfork,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Glantz remained upright at his otherwise empty table, and his nonchalant noshing was caught on a CNN livestream of the room.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The test case—picturing a cow doing ballet—produces a smug bovine pirouetting.—
Elise Broach,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
-
My math teachers of old are very smug somewhere.—
Jennifer Maas,
Variety,
17 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Nick Jonas has a casual yet stylish vibe in a leather jacket, hoodie and baseball cap in New York City on April 23.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Wetjen was out at Stone Creek Golf Club near Iowa’s campus, playing a casual round with his girlfriend, Rachel Bierman, and friends when the moment hit.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The proud Westeros family of dragonlords have always been intent on making things bend to their (fair-haired, dragon-loving) will, even when the chips were down.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
27 Apr. 2026
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Gordon Ramsay is one proud dad as daughter Tilly Ramsay completes the TCS London Marathon on April 26 in London.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The series has devolved into a hysteria that the young and arrogant Timberwolves feed on since that first quarter of Game 2.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
-
However, many thought Tilson Thomas too brash and arrogant to lead an orchestra, and, around the same time, Tilson Thomas fell in with New York’s disco-hopping crowd.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Complacent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/complacent. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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