SELF-SATISFIED Synonyms: 114 Similar and Opposite Words

self-satisfied

adjective

ˌself-ˈsa-təs-ˌfīd

Definition of self-satisfied

as in smug

having too high an opinion of oneself a self-satisfied woman who thought that if she could balance two careers, everyone else should too

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for self-satisfied

Adjective

There has been no more satisfying slap in cinema this year than the one Erika lands on a smug German actor, leading to a wicked punchline that shouldn’t be spoiled.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Here was my chance to get out of London, this counterfeit of death with its everywhere rage and its moribund culture and its smug population and its streets steeped in resentment and the sky pressing down like a chloroform rag.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of smug

Adjective

Steve Buscemi as Harry’s regular fence; Tatiana Maslany as his estranged daughter; and Will Price as the arrogant, heat-packing scion of a Manhattan crime family also star.

— Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
Ever-sensible Elinor, who never asks for much, has already met, and fallen for, Edward Ferrars (George MacKay), Fanny’s brother, as kind and modest as Fanny is arrogant.

— Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of arrogant

Adjective

Played by Jesse Eisenberg, Zuckerberg is dramatized as a conceited, socially awkward college student who repeatedly burns allies in pursuit of power.

— Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Meanwhile, Johnson reprises his role as Moana's bantering reluctant partner, the shapeshifting trickster demigod Maui, alongside Jemaine Clement again voicing the conceited giant crustacean Tamatoa.

— Brian Truitt, USA Today, 9 July 2026

Definition of conceited

Adjective

Historically, each president's detractors have seen midterms as an opportunity, while his supporters have often been complacent — or at least less motivated.

— Ron Elving, NPR, 24 Oct. 2026
But even where that foundational understanding exists, IT leaders can’t afford to get complacent about how technology, and the people who run it, are perceived.

— Ken Feyder, Forbes.com, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of complacent

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.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Self-satisfied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/self-satisfied. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of self-satisfied

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

shindig

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes