wise guy
Americannoun
noun
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informal a person who is given to making conceited, sardonic, or insolent comments
-
a member of the Mafia
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of wise guy
An Americanism dating back to 1895–1900
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.
Locke has Charlie’s gentle deportment but with the soft edge of a cool-kid wise guy.
From New York Times ● Jul. 29, 2023
I enjoyed the Marx Brothers movies, but I liked Groucho because he was the wise guy.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 13, 2021
“So does Jones get the tackle credit too,” one wise guy posted in a comment on YouTube.
From Washington Times ● Mar. 31, 2021
“As a young writer, I was the dandiest, cleverest wit and wise guy — a cinch if one possesses the meager gifts,” he writes.
From Washington Post ● Jun. 4, 2020
I expect Ronan to give me some wise guy answer, but instead he looks me in the eye and says, “I wish I’d met your papa.”
From "Shouting at the Rain" by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
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.
