complacent
Americanadjective
-
pleased, especially with oneself or one's merits, advantages, situation, etc., often without awareness of some potential danger or defect; self-satisfied.
The voters are too complacent to change the government.
- Synonyms:
- untroubled, unbothered, smug
-
agreeable and eager to please.
adjective
-
pleased or satisfied, esp extremely self-satisfied
-
an obsolete word for complaisant
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of complacent
First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin complacent- (stem of complacēns, present participle of complacēre “to take the fancy of, please,” equivalent to com- “with, together, completely” ( see com-) + placēre “to seem good” ( see please)
Compare meaning
How does complacent compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Someone who is complacent has become overly content — the junk-food-eating couch potato might be feeling complacent about his health. The literal meaning of this word's Latin root is "very pleased," but even though complacent people may seem pleased with themselves, we are rarely pleased with them. They are unconcerned by things that should concern them, and they may neglect their duties. A complacent person might be heard saying, "Ehh, don't worry about it!" — when there really is something to worry about.
Vocabulary lists containing complacent
Grade 10, List 1
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That escalation returned an oil market that many analysts had described as complacent to the conflict back on high alert.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 1, 2026
Danielle said she feared people could be complacent around other breeds that are not banned.
From BBC • May 29, 2026
Investors were caught off guard by the yield surge, which suggests that the market had become a little complacent about inflation despite hot consumer and wholesale price readings this week.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
It never occurred to me the heart-pounding reminder not to grow complacent wouldn’t hit him, as his generation puts it, in the feels.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026
The only other bear that they had encountered was sleek and fat as butter, complacent and sleepy, his thoughts obviously already running on hibernation, and quite uninterested in strange animals.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
