Complacent

Pronunciation: /kəmˈpleɪsənt/

Definitions of complacent

adjective showing smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements

Example Sentences

A1 She was complacent about her grades because she always did well in school.

A2 The team became complacent after winning the first few games of the season.

B1 The company's complacent attitude towards customer complaints led to a decrease in sales.

B2 The government's complacent approach to environmental issues is causing concern among activists.

C1 His complacent demeanor in the face of adversity surprised his colleagues.

C2 The CEO's complacent attitude towards innovation eventually led to the downfall of the company.

Examples of complacent in a Sentence

formal The company became complacent after dominating the market for several years.

informal Don't get complacent just because you've been doing well lately.

slang She's too complacent about her grades, thinking she can pass without studying.

figurative Being complacent is like standing still while the world around you keeps moving.

Grammatical Forms of complacent

• past tense: complacented
• plural: complacents
• comparative: more complacent
• superlative: most complacent
• present tense: complacent
• future tense: will be complacent
• perfect tense: have been complacent
• continuous tense: being complacent
• singular: complacent
• positive degree: complacent
• infinitive: to be complacent
• gerund: complacenting
• participle: complacent

Origin and Evolution of complacent

First Known Use: 1650 year

Language of Origin: Latin

Story behind the word: The word 'complacent' originated from the Latin word 'complacentem' which means 'pleasing'.

Evolution of the word: Originally used in a positive sense to describe someone who is pleased with themselves or their situation, the word 'complacent' has evolved to have a more negative connotation, often implying a sense of smugness or self-satisfaction that may lead to a lack of effort or concern for improvement.