complacent

adjective

com·pla·cent kəm-ˈplā-sᵊnt How to pronounce complacent (audio)

: marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies : marked by complacency : self-satisfied

a complacent smile

: complaisant sense 1

complacent flattery

: unconcerned

complacently adverb

Did you know?

Complaisant or Complacent?

The homophones complaisant and complacent are often confused - and no wonder. Not only do they look and sound alike, but they also both derive ultimately from Latin complacēre, meaning "to please greatly." Complacent usually means "self-satisfied" or "unconcerned," but it also shares with complaisant the sense of "marked by an inclination to please or oblige." This sense of complacent is an old one, but that hasn't kept language critics from labeling it as an error - and on the whole, modern writers do prefer complaisant for this meaning. Conversely, complaisant is sometimes mistakenly used in contexts such as "complaisant about injustices," where complacent, with its sense of "marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies," should go. One aid is to remember that with the preposition "about," you probably want complacent.

Example Sentences

… I gazed at my mother's poised, beautiful profile as her face turned from side to side, calm or complacent, accepting what the route offered.

Donald Hall, Atlantic, October 1996 Mr. Davis organized his second great quintet in the mid-60's, but by then jazz had taken a new turn and many felt he had become passé, a complacent peacock.

Gary Giddins, New York Times Book Review, 15 Oct. 1989 … he hopes to break through the reader's complacent indifference, make him aware of his predicament, and force him to take sides.

Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987 Lord Lathkill … was so completely unostentatious, so very willing to pay all the attention to me, and yet so subtly complacent, so unquestionably sure of his position.

D. H. Lawrence, The Complete Short Stories Volume III, (1922) 1981 The strong economy has made people complacent. We have grown too complacent over the years. We can't afford to be complacent about illiteracy. See More

Recent Examples on the Web Leading by 11 at halftime of the showdown against second-seeded Sandwich, Dover-Sherborn coach Erin Massimi had a simple message for her squad: Don’t get complacent.

Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2022 But even with those blowout wins, the team is mindful of not getting complacent ahead of the playoffs.

Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2022 But the brands became complacent and really were satisfied with their projects.

Dave Knox, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Her portrait of Meadows was of a complacent chief of staff, unwilling to confront the president unless absolutely forced to do so, a senior official who was described multiple times as slouched on his couch scrolling through his cellphone.

Dan Balz, Washington Post, 28 June 2022 Experts also see a deeper disconnect, saying that both parties grew complacent in the belief that their turn in office would always come again.

New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 From investing in private credit to tax loss harvesting to converting to a more sustainable stock portfolio, the top 1% is not complacent during the market meltdown.

Lucy Brewster, Fortune, 14 July 2022 Those leaders who took it upon themselves to take action and truly re-examine their unique people strategies are going to sit much prettier than their complacent counterparts.

Gary Drenik, Forbes, 16 June 2022 That policing strategy worked wonders in New York and other cities in the 1990s and 2000s, but progressives dismissed it as crime rates fell and voters became complacent.

The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 June 2022 See More

单词	complacent
释义	complacent adjective com·pla·cent kəm-ˈplā-sᵊnt 1 : marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies : marked by complacency : self-satisfied a complacent smile 2 : complaisant sense 1 complacent flattery 3 : unconcerned complacently adverb Did you know? Complaisant or Complacent? The homophones complaisant and complacent are often confused - and no wonder. Not only do they look and sound alike, but they also both derive ultimately from Latin complacēre, meaning "to please greatly." Complacent usually means "self-satisfied" or "unconcerned," but it also shares with complaisant the sense of "marked by an inclination to please or oblige." This sense of complacent is an old one, but that hasn't kept language critics from labeling it as an error - and on the whole, modern writers do prefer complaisant for this meaning. Conversely, complaisant is sometimes mistakenly used in contexts such as "complaisant about injustices," where complacent, with its sense of "marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies," should go. One aid is to remember that with the preposition "about," you probably want complacent. Synonyms apathetic casual disinterested incurious indifferent insensible insouciant nonchalant perfunctory pococurante unconcerned uncurious uninterested See all Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences … I gazed at my mother's poised, beautiful profile as her face turned from side to side, calm or complacent, accepting what the route offered. Donald Hall, Atlantic, October 1996 Mr. Davis organized his second great quintet in the mid-60's, but by then jazz had taken a new turn and many felt he had become passé, a complacent peacock. Gary Giddins, New York Times Book Review, 15 Oct. 1989 … he hopes to break through the reader's complacent indifference, make him aware of his predicament, and force him to take sides. Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987 Lord Lathkill … was so completely unostentatious, so very willing to pay all the attention to me, and yet so subtly complacent, so unquestionably sure of his position. D. H. Lawrence, The Complete Short Stories Volume III, (1922) 1981 The strong economy has made people complacent. We have grown too complacent over the years. We can't afford to be complacent about illiteracy. See More Recent Examples on the Web Leading by 11 at halftime of the showdown against second-seeded Sandwich, Dover-Sherborn coach Erin Massimi had a simple message for her squad: Don’t get complacent. Nate Weitzer, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2022 But even with those blowout wins, the team is mindful of not getting complacent ahead of the playoffs. Lila Bromberg, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 2022 But the brands became complacent and really were satisfied with their projects. Dave Knox, Forbes, 2 Aug. 2022 Her portrait of Meadows was of a complacent chief of staff, unwilling to confront the president unless absolutely forced to do so, a senior official who was described multiple times as slouched on his couch scrolling through his cellphone. Dan Balz, Washington Post, 28 June 2022 Experts also see a deeper disconnect, saying that both parties grew complacent in the belief that their turn in office would always come again. New York Times, 28 Apr. 2022 From investing in private credit to tax loss harvesting to converting to a more sustainable stock portfolio, the top 1% is not complacent during the market meltdown. Lucy Brewster, Fortune, 14 July 2022 Those leaders who took it upon themselves to take action and truly re-examine their unique people strategies are going to sit much prettier than their complacent counterparts. Gary Drenik, Forbes, 16 June 2022 That policing strategy worked wonders in New York and other cities in the 1990s and 2000s, but progressives dismissed it as crime rates fell and voters became complacent. The Editorial Board, WSJ, 8 June 2022 See More Word History Etymology Latin complacent-, complacens, present participle of complacēre to please greatly, from com- + placēre to please — more at please First Known Use 1760, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Kids Definition complacent adjective com·pla·cent kəm-ˈplā-sᵊnt : feeling or showing satisfaction and lack of worry or caution His team became complacent in the second half and lost the game. complacent adjective 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 Relevance nonchalant casual apathetic careless unconcerned uninterested indifferent disinterested incurious detached insouciant perfunctory uncurious stoic calm numb aloof callous insensible cold lethargic pococurante lukewarm listless halfhearted tepid dispassionate unemotional insensitive phlegmatic unfeeling mindless stolid heedless remote impassive unimpressed impervious hard-hearted stoical cool Antonyms & Near Antonyms aware interested concerned mindful attentive conscientious sensitive warm zealous passionate keen ardent heedful fervent caring warmhearted See More 2 as in smug having too high an opinion of oneself a complacent junior exec who was certain of his indispensability to the company Synonyms & Similar Words smug arrogant proud vain confident conceited selfish domineering self-satisfied important prideful bigheaded vainglorious assured egotistic egoistic pompous egotistical egoistical self-conceited self-important cocky swellheaded biggety stuck-up overweening consequential overconfident boastful swaggering supercilious bumptious snobbish uppity cavalier haughty blusterous bombastic snobby self-opinionated snooty braggart bragging disdainful assumptive uppish blustery biggity braggy huffy superior pretentious chesty pontifical presuming presumptuous toplofty masterful imperious fastuous condescending patronizing high-and-mighty self-contented self-assured self-assertive self-confident peremptory holier-than-thou lordly self-asserting toploftical high-handed self-congratulatory lofty self-engrossed self-centered hifalutin highfalutin self-glorifying self-dramatizing self-adulatory self-gratulatory high-hat self-promoting self-applauding self-affected Antonyms & Near Antonyms humble timid modest diffident meek unassertive egoless uncomplacent sheepish unassuming bashful self-critical self-doubting unpretentious shy shrinking demure retiring introverted mousy self-distrustful self-reproachful self-reproving mousey unarrogant overmodest down-to-earth See More
随便看	Taeniobranchia taeniodont Taeniodonta Taeniodontia Taenioglossa taenioglossate Taenioinei Taeniopteris taeniosome Taeniosomi taeniosomous Taeniothrips taenite Taensa taensas taes TAF taffarels tafferels taffeta taffeta weave taffetas taffetases taffeties taffetized

complacent

adjective

Did you know?

Synonyms

Example Sentences

Word History

Kids Definition

adjective

adjective