Smug example sentences
Related (13): self-satisfied, conceited, arrogant, pompous, condescending, superior, vain, complacent, self-important, haughty, pride, smugness, smugly
"Smug" Example Sentences
Common Phrases
- smug expression
- smug smile
- smug satisfaction
- smug attitude
- smug tone
- smug look
- smug confidence
- smug certainty
- smug arrogance
- smug self-satisfaction
Examples by Level
A1
- He has a smug face.
- She looks smug when she wins.
A2
- The smug boy wouldn't stop bragging about his new bike.
- She had a smug smile after getting the best grade in the class.
B1
- His smug attitude about being promoted made everyone uncomfortable at the office.
- I couldn't stand her smug tone when she corrected me in front of everyone.
B2
- The politician's smug certainty that he'd win the election blinded him to the actual polling data.
- She wore her smug confidence like armor, completely unaware of how it alienated people around her.
C1
- There was something almost pathetic about his smug self-assurance — the kind that only comes from never having truly failed.
- Her smug dismissal of legitimate concerns revealed a deeper contempt for anyone who disagreed with her worldview.
C2
- The particular brand of smug superiority he cultivated had the paradoxical effect of making him utterly transparent to anyone paying attention.
- What she mistook for smug confidence was actually the brittle armor of someone terrified of being exposed as ordinary.
Examples by Scenario
🏠 Everyday Life
- My neighbor has this smug way of mentioning how early she wakes up every single morning.
- He walked past with a smug grin after his team beat ours at the park.
💼 Workplace
- The new hire's smug attitude about his Ivy League degree didn't win him any friends on the team.
- She made a smug comment during the meeting that made everyone roll their eyes.
📊 Business
- The CEO's smug announcement about record profits ignored the fact that they'd just laid off half the staff.
- His smug presentation of the quarterly numbers glossed over the major problems brewing underneath.
🛒 Buying / Shopping
- The salesman had this smug confidence that he could sell me anything, which made me want to leave immediately.
- She gave me a smug look when I asked if the expensive version was really worth it.
✈️ Travel
- The tour guide's smug superiority about knowing every detail of the city's history got old fast.
- He had a smug expression when he realized he'd packed better than everyone else on the trip.
📚 Education
- The teacher's smug tone when explaining something obvious made the slower students feel even worse.
- My classmate's smug certainty that he'd ace the test without studying backfired spectacularly.
❤️ Relationships
- After the breakup, seeing him with someone new while wearing that smug smile cut deeper than I expected.
- She had this smug way of bringing up her new relationship whenever I was around, and it hurt.
📰 News / Politics
- The politician's smug response to legitimate criticism made him look completely out of touch.
- The news anchor's smug tone when reporting on the scandal felt inappropriate and biased.
💻 Technology
- Tech bros have this smug attitude about disruption that ignores the actual damage they cause.
- He made a smug comment about how outdated my phone was, which was just rude.
📝 Formal Writing
- The researcher's smug dismissal of alternative methodologies undermined the credibility of the entire study.
- The report's smug assertions about market dominance were contradicted by the data presented in the appendix.