1
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
you wouldn't be so smart-alecky if you were the one having the surgery
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sarcastic
marked by the use of wit that is intended to cause hurt feelings
smart-alecky comments from a coworker about her new clothes
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart-alecky
Adjective
-
She has been married twice, marrying director Chris Calkins in 2009. 08 of 09 Woody Harrelson as Woody Boyd Woody Harrelson's Woody Boyd joined Cheers in season 4 as a not-so-bright but very cute bartender.—
Kate Hogan, People.com, 20 May 2025
-
There are some funny bits including Kenan Thompson’s moment and joking about Sherman getting fired, but the most apt word to describe this monologue is cute.—
Adjective
-
While the jeers towards Xhaka followed the midfielder, Arsenal’s captain at the time, retaliating to sarcastic cheers from the crowd at him being replaced in an October 2019 home match against Crystal Palace, those directed at Eboue were due to his performance.—
-
His first half was littered with increasingly ridiculous highlights: a lefty hook over Isaiah Hartenstein, a potpourri of 3s with hands in his face, a sarcastic stare-down after his defender tried taking a charge, followed by a pass to himself off the backboard to simplify the finish.—
Adjective
-
Plus, the playful green shade will add a pop of color to any summer travel wardrobe.—
-
The moment instantly sparked playful reactions cross the internet with some cheekily demanding the robot get its act together.—
Adjective
-
All Systems Red is a legible introduction to Wells’ hyper-capitalist, playfully satiric galaxy.—
-
That’s the premise of Douglas Is Cancelled, a cruelly funny 2024 BBC sitcom that seems very much in sync with satiric comedies such as The Office and W1A and Yes Minister.—
Adjective
-
Some also claim that tomatoes turn out sweeter in less acidic soil, though the sugar content of a tomato may have more to do with that.—
-
Prep the Soil Watermelons are heavy feeders that need full sun, well-draining and slightly acidic soil, and lots of nutrients to grow.—
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Smart-alecky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart-alecky. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share