complacent
/kəm'pleisnt/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Self-satisfied and uncritical: Feeling or showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself, one's achievements, or a situation, often while being unaware of potential dangers or deficiencies.
- Contented to a fault: Pleased, especially with oneself or one's situation, to the point of ignoring potential problems or risks.
Usage
The adjective "complacent" describes a state of being overly pleased with oneself or one's circumstances, leading to a lack of awareness, concern, or desire for improvement. It often carries a negative connotation, implying a dangerous or foolish satisfaction.
Examples
- General Use:
- The team became complacent after their early lead and ended up losing the game.
- We cannot afford to be complacent about cybersecurity threats.
- Describing a Person or Attitude:
- His complacent smile showed he thought the job was already done.
- She warned against a complacent attitude towards the ongoing economic challenges.
Advanced Usage
- "Complacent about": This is the most common prepositional phrase used with "complacent," indicating what the satisfaction is regarding.
- The government was accused of being complacent about rising inflation.
- "Complacent in": Sometimes used to indicate the sphere or situation in which one is complacent.
- He grew complacent in his role and stopped seeking new challenges.
Variants and Related Words
- Complacency (noun): A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
- Their early success led to a dangerous sense of complacency.
- Complacently (adverb): In a self-satisfied or uncritically pleased manner.
- He nodded complacently, sure of his own correctness.
Synonyms
- Smug: Having or showing an excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements.
- Self-satisfied: Pleased with oneself, especially in an uncritical way.
- Self-congratulatory: Expressing undue congratulations to oneself.
- Resting on one's laurels: Relying on one's past successes instead of working for further achievement. (Idiomatic phrase)
Antonyms
- Dissatisfied: Not content or happy with something.
- Ambitious: Having a strong desire for success or achievement.
- Vigilant: Keeping careful watch for possible danger or difficulties.
Idioms and Common Phrases
- Breed complacency: To cause a situation where people become complacent.
- Long periods of stability can breed complacency in an organization.
- Complacent to the core: Extremely and fundamentally complacent.
- The management was complacent to the core, ignoring all warning signs.
Adjective
-
contented to a fault with oneself or one's actions
-
he had become complacent after years of success
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his self-satisfied dignity
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