How do you use the word "smug" in a sentence?

Here are real-life examples of using "smug": His smug behavior is offensive. There are so many smug people.

Smug Meaning

/smʌɡ/

Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.

Definition

adjirritatingly pleased with oneself; offensively self-complacent, self-satisfied.

adjShowing smugness; showing self-complacency, self-satisfaction.

Sentence Examples

His smug behavior is offensive.

There are so many smug people.

Don't be smug! You could have hurt yourself.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Synonyms:

content

Antonyms:

None

CEFR Practice Quiz

After winning the race by a large margin, he had a ____ smile that annoyed everyone.

CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)

He had a ____ expression on his face after winning the game that his opponent found annoying.

Word Origin & History

Originally "spruce, neat," from Low German smuk (“pretty”), from Middle Low German smuk (“lithe, delicate, neat, trim”), although the g of the English word is not easily explained. The ultimate source should be Proto-West Germanic *smeugan (“to crawl, creep”). From the Low German derived also North Frisian smok, Danish smuk and Swedish smukk (now obsolete or dialectal). Compare also Middle High German gesmuc (“ornament”) and smücken (“to dress, to adorn”), both ultimately from smiegen (“to press to, insert, wrap, to nestle”), hence German schmiegen, Schmuck and schmücken. The adjective schmuck, however, was borrowed from Low German. See smock for more.

Literary Quotations & Historical Citations

"They be so smug and smooth." — 1556, Raphe Robynson, More’s Utopia: The English Translation thereof:

"the smug and scanty draperies of his style" — 1828, Thomas De Quincey, “Elements of Rhetoric”, in Blackwood's Magazine:

"A young, smug, handsome holiness has no fellow." — c. 1621, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Pilgrim”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act I, scene ii:

"Thus said, he smug'd his beard, and stroked up fair." — 1612, Michael Drayton, “(please specify the chapter)”, in [John Selden], editor, Poly-Olbion. Or A Chorographicall Description of Tracts, Riuers, Mountaines, Forests, and Other Parts of this Renowned Isle of Great Britaine, […], London: […] [Humphrey Lownes] for M[athew] Lownes; I[ohn] Browne; I[ohn] Helme; I[ohn] Busbie, →OCLC:

"The smug-boats have been called centipedes by the Europeans, on account of the great number of oars, with which, like legs, they walk the water." — 1838, Charles Toogood Downing, The Stranger in China, page 66:

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