wise guy

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See synonyms for: wise guy / wiseguy on Thesaurus.com

noun

Informal. a cocksure, conceited, and often insolent person; smart aleck: He has a reputation for being a wise guy.

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Also called wiseacre.

Origin of wise guy

An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900

OTHER WORDS FROM wise guy

wise-guy, adjective

Words nearby wise guy

wisdom tooth, wise, wiseacre, wise-ass, wisecrack, wise guy, wisely, Wiseman, Wise Men, wisenheimer, wisent

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use wise guy in a sentence

If anything the work the two cops and the maintenance guy were doing deserves more respect and probably helped a lot more people.
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Everywhere I go, ‘Hey Cartman, you must like Family Guy, right?’
Trolls and Martyrdom: Je Ne Suis Pas Charlie|Arthur Chu|January 9, 2015|DAILY BEAST
When we had that meeting in the Caribbean, Jeffrey was holding his own and not only was he a pleasant host, he was pleasant guy.
Sleazy Billionaire’s Double Life Featured Beach Parties With Stephen Hawking|M.L. Nestel|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
And we have a lot of great guests this season: Greta Gerwig, Natasha Lyonne, Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi is back—I love that guy.
Coffee Talk with Fred Armisen: On ‘Portlandia,’ Meeting Obama, and Taylor Swift’s Greatness|Marlow Stern|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST

Ass-kicking, bad guy-killing Carter is just a future spinster.
Marvel’s ‘Agent Carter’ Stomps on the Patriarchy|Melissa Leon|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The most High hath created medicines out of the earth, and a wise man will not abhor them.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
A wise man hateth not the commandments and justices, and he shall not be dashed in pieces as a ship in a storm.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
She is quite true, but not wise, and your left hand must not know what your right hand is doing.
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
There are three things a wise man will not trust: the wind, the sunshine of an April day, and woman's plighted faith.
Pearls of Thought|Maturin M. Ballou
It's an idle question, I know; wise men and musty philosophers say that regrets are foolish.
Raw Gold|Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for wise guy

wise guy

noun

informal a person who is given to making conceited, sardonic, or insolent comments

US a member of the Mafia

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with wise guy

wise guy

An obnoxious know-it-all, a person who makes sarcastic or annoying remarks, as in the teacher was delighted that the worst wise guy in the class was moving out of town. [Slang; second half of 1800s] Also see smart aleck.

wise guy

Origin of wise guy

OTHER WORDS FROM wise guy

Words nearby wise guy

Words related to wise guy

How to use wise guy in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for wise guy

Other Idioms and Phrases with wise guy