smug

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

They’re insincere and elitist and out of touch and smug in many respects, from the perspective of a young man.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Volker Beck, president of the German-Israeli Society, labelled Steinmeier's comments on the war "grossly inappropriate" and said they displayed a "smug know-it-all attitude".

From Barron's • Mar. 24, 2026

Mr. Powell, smirking and smug, tells his life story to a visiting priest who drops by his cell for a last conversation.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

Tuck them away in a cupboard and feel quietly smug about it.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2025

He sat there, vaguely smug, convinced that he had the strength, the courage, and the intelligence to survive.

From "Abel's Island" by William Steig