smart-alecky

adjective

Definition of smart-aleckynext
1
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred you wouldn't be so smart-alecky if you were the one having the surgery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings smart-alecky comments from a coworker about her new clothes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
  1. cute
  2. sarcastic
  3. playful
  4. satiric
  5. acidic
Adjective
  • The kids were very cute & the crates were very broken.
    Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 8 Jan. 2025
  • In the coach’s fourth season, the Dolphins need to get less cute and tougher on the ground.
    Josh Kendall, The Athletic, 7 Jan. 2025
Definition of cute
Adjective
  • But Baldoni alleges that the Times ignored additional context in the same text exchange that indicates Nathan and Abel were joking and being sarcastic.
    Brian Welk, IndieWire, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Frustrated that people do not believe his consistent response to the same question, his tone grew sarcastic.
    Emmanuel Morgan, New York Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Definition of sarcastic
Adjective
  • Photo: Nadav Kander for New York Magazine What Chained for Life did through its playful deconstruction of exploitation movies, A Different Man does in more structural ways.
    Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The guest rooms, dreamed up by avant-garde French designer Philippe Starck, reflect his signature minimalist, yet playful style.
    Mariette Williams, Travel + Leisure, 18 Jan. 2025
Definition of playful
Adjective
  • The show isn't satiric so much as amused by the absurd lengths to which the Kaylas of our society will go in pursuit of self-definition.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
  • Mann at his most satiric has Settembrini contributing an essay to a multivolume project whose purpose is to end suffering.
    George Packer, The Atlantic, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of satiric
Adjective
  • However, raisins don't make your mouth more acidic, which is one component in promoting cavities.
    Melissa Nieves, Verywell Health, 15 Jan. 2025
  • June • For camellia, citrus, gardenia, grape and other plants adapted to acidic soil: If leaves are yellowing (chlorotic) between green veins, plants may benefit from foliar or soil application of iron and zinc chelate and mulching.
    The San Diego Union Tribune, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
Definition of acidic
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near smart-alecky

smart alecks

smart-alecky

smart-ass

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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