complacent

complacent
adjective
Synonyms 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
complacently adverb

Synonyms
apathetic
casual
disinterested
incurious
indifferent
insensible
insouciant
nonchalant
perfunctory
pococurante
unconcerned
uncurious
uninterested
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 pass;, 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
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Though Barrera has written most of Grupo Frontera’s songs so far, along with other writers like R;os, the band feared becoming complacent by always yielding those creative duties to someone else.
—Paula Mej;a, Billboard, 5 Mar. 2025
Like too many places, Tulsa had become complacent with its economy, relying on its oil and gas legacy without investing in a tech ecosystem that could create startups or more durable jobs.
—Nicholas Lalla, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2025
Tobin Marcus of Wolfe Research warned us yesterday--when stocks were only down half a percent--that the market was still being way too complacent about today’s tariff risk.
—Kelly Evans, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025
Bergen additionally warned the New Jersey GOP not to get complacent in the 2025 gubernatorial race.
—Annabella Rosciglione, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 15 Feb. 2025

Word History
Etymology
Latin complacent-, complacens, present participle of complac;re to please greatly, from com- + plac;re to please — more at please

First Known Use
1767, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of complacent was in 1767
See more words from the same year