complacency
Americannoun
plural
complacencies-
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.
-
Archaic.
-
friendly civility; inclination to please; complaisance.
-
a civil act.
-
noun
-
a feeling of satisfaction, esp extreme self-satisfaction; smugness
-
an obsolete word for complaisance
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
That there was complacency and lack of focus in the bureaucracy is incontestable.
From Salon
Ap Iorwerth said the announcement was not a sign of "complacency" from the party ahead of the election, but showed it was making preparations to govern.
From BBC
Larkham has named an unchanged line-up spearheaded by veteran James Slipper for a third straight week to face the Auckland Blues at home on Saturday and said there would be no complacency.
From Barron's
"There's no complacency there and they are playing at a high level, so I don't see why they can't win the Grand Slam. They're a formidable outfit."
From BBC
Quiet, unassuming, even shy, particularly in public, McSweeney was known for being obsessed by winning, constantly fearful of complacency and ever aware of Labour's track record of losing far more elections than it wins.
From BBC
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.
