complacent

adjective

com·pla·cent | \ kəm-ˈplā-sᵊnt

Definition of complacent

1 : marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies : marked by complacency : self-satisfied a complacent smile

2 : complaisant sense 1 complacent flattery

3 : unconcerned

Other Words from complacent Synonyms & Antonyms Complaisant or Complacent? More Example Sentences Learn More about complacent

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Complaisant or Complacent?

The homophones complaisant and complacent are often confused - and no wonder. Not only do they look and sound alike, but they also both derive ultimately from Latin complacēre, meaning "to please greatly." Complacent usually means "self-satisfied" or "unconcerned," but it also shares with complaisant the sense of "marked by an inclination to please or oblige." This sense of complacent is an old one, but that hasn't kept language critics from labeling it as an error - and on the whole, modern writers do prefer complaisant for this meaning. Conversely, complaisant is sometimes mistakenly used in contexts such as "complaisant about injustices," where complacent, with its sense of "marked by self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies," should go. One aid is to remember that with the preposition "about," you probably want complacent.

Examples of complacent in a Sentence

… I gazed at my mother's poised, beautiful profile as her face turned from side to side, calm or complacent, accepting what the route offered. — Donald Hall, Atlantic, October 1996 Mr. Davis organized his second great quintet in the mid-60's, but by then jazz had taken a new turn and many felt he had become passé, a complacent peacock. — Gary Giddins, New York Times Book Review, 15 Oct. 1989 … he hopes to break through the reader's complacent indifference, make him aware of his predicament, and force him to take sides. — Monroe K. Spears, American Ambitions, 1987 Lord Lathkill … was so completely unostentatious, so very willing to pay all the attention to me, and yet so subtly complacent, so unquestionably sure of his position. — D. H. Lawrence, The Complete Short Stories Volume III, (1922) 1981 The strong economy has made people complacent. We have grown too complacent over the years. We can't afford to be complacent about illiteracy.

Recent Examples on the Web

Europe, it is said, is too divided, complacent and weak to wield power decisively. — The Economist, "The EU’s relationship with Turkey is failing," 25 July 2019 As Kaufman makes clear, though, the notion that Wisconsin in 2016 was some sort of Democratic stronghold showed just how complacent Clinton and the liberal establishment had become. — Jennifer Szalai, New York Times, "How Conservatives Bet Big on Wisconsin and Won," 11 July 2018 The days of being complacent with going five innings need to end. — Jeff Bailey, The Denver Post, "Rockies starting pitching needs “bulldog” attitude like Mike Mussina," 14 Aug. 2019 Hunting challenges our complacent conviction that the world is human-made. — Anchorage Daily News, "Women have always been hunters, and hunting has nothing to do with gender," 6 Aug. 2019 This time last year, investors were clearly complacent about the global economy, following a surprisingly good 2017. — James Mackintosh, WSJ, "Investors Go From Overoptimistic to Sort of Pessimistic," 21 Jan. 2019 Investors have become way too complacent and way too dependent on monetary policy. — Erik Sherman, Fortune, "The Stock Market Is Completely Ignoring Negative Earnings Guidance. Why?," 15 July 2019 And too many of us have become complacent and inured to the misery all around us. — Heather Knight, SFChronicle.com, "Welcome home: Trips abroad put San Francisco’s chaotic streets in perspective," 13 July 2019 The calm acceptance of that fact by the Copenhagen interpretation seems to some, and with good reason, to be far too unsatisfactory and complacent. — Quanta Magazine, "Why the Many-Worlds Interpretation Has Many Problems," 18 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'complacent.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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More Definitions for complacent

complacent

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of complacent

disapproving : satisfied with how things are and not wanting to change them

See the full definition for complacent in the English Language Learners Dictionary

complacent

adjective

com·pla·cent | \ kəm-ˈplā-sᵊnt

Kids Definition of complacent

: feeling or showing satisfaction and lack of worry or caution His team became complacent in the second half and lost the game.

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complacent

Definition of complacent

Other Words from complacent

Synonyms & Antonyms for complacent

Complaisant or Complacent?

Examples of complacent in a Sentence

First Known Use of complacent

History and Etymology for complacent

English Language Learners Definition of complacent

Kids Definition of complacent

complacent

Definition of complacent

Other Words from complacent

Synonyms & Antonyms for complacent

Complaisant or Complacent?

Examples of complacent in a Sentence

First Known Use of complacent

History and Etymology for complacent

English Language Learners Definition of complacent

Kids Definition of complacent

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