complacency

American  

[kuhm-pley-suhn-see] / kəmˈpleɪ sən si /

Also complacence

noun

plural

complacencies

1. a feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc.

2. Archaic.

   1. friendly civility; inclination to please; complaisance.

   2. a civil act.

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complacency British  

/ kəmˈpleɪsənsɪ /

noun

1. a feeling of satisfaction, esp extreme self-satisfaction; smugness

2. an obsolete word for complaisance

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Other Word Forms

• noncomplacence noun
• noncomplacency noun
• overcomplacence noun
• overcomplacency noun

Etymology

Origin of complacency

From the Medieval Latin word complacentia, dating back to 1635–45. See complacent, -cy

Example Sentences

This was a measure of how low defence and security had fallen in the nation's priorities - and a measure, too, of the complacency into which much of Europe had sunk.

From BBC • Mar. 27, 2026

My mental default is that the world is neutral-good, and that may be why I prefer movies with active villains scaring me out of my complacency.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026

Market volatility had been compressed, and complacency reigned.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 10, 2026

In the weeks before the latest attacks, a certain degree of complacency had taken hold in global oil markets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 8, 2026

With infinite complacency, men went to and fro over this globe about their little affairs, serene in their assurances of their empire over matter.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan