wise guy

noun

ˈwīz-ˌgī How to pronounce wise guy (audio)
Synonyms of wise guynext
1
: smart aleck
2
usually wiseguy
ˈwīz-ˌgī How to pronounce wise guy (audio)
: mobster

Synonyms of wise guy

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Examples of wise guy in a Sentence

Quit being a wise guy. No more wise-guy remarks, got it? a movie about two wiseguys
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Still, local lore, including online discussion threads, insists that the wise guy looms above the pews. — Susan Mulcahy, New Yorker, 3 Nov. 2025 In the same episode, the other wise guys on Tony’s crew have a heated discussion about Columbus, even mentioning a Columbus statue that will become the site of a protest. — Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2019 Here’s a look at what each team in the NFC North has done in free agency, and how the wise guys in Las Vegas currently rank the division. — Rob Reischel, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2026 Specifically, the four wise guys from the North End framed by the FBI for a murder in Chelsea back in 1965. — Howie Carr, Boston Herald, 25 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wise guy

Word History

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of wise guy was in 1896

Rhymes for wise guy

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Browse Nearby Words

wised-up
wise guy
wisehead
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Cite this Entry

“Wise guy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wise%20guy. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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