smugsmug /smʌɡ/ adjective 
What are you looking so smug about?smug expression/look/face/smile etc ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile.► see thesaurus at proud—smugly adverb—smugness noun [uncountable]
WORD ORIGINsmug
Origin:
1500-1600 Probably from Low German smuck ‘pretty’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a smug grin
- Frank patted his pocket and smiled, looking awfully smug.
- I felt very smug about not wasting paper.
- If you knew, which I'm sure you did judging from your smug expression, why didn't you tell me?
- Lawson comes over as smug and arrogant, but in fact he's quite a decent man.
- And Katie would give a smug little smile and then whisper about it half the night.
- Daley was almost smug as he watched King floundering.
- His was the smug look of a man who knew he was in total control and liked it that way.
- Not to be a trifle smug, or anything.
- Of all the mechanisms which sustain him in that feeling of smug self-satisfaction with himself, the chief one is self-justifying.
- Peter Kemp's aim seems to be to make Wells sound smug.
THESAURUS
very pleased with what you, your family, or your country have achieved, or of something you own: · I felt so proud when my son graduated from college.· Judith’s very proud of her new Ferrari.
feeling pleased because something good has happened, especially because you think you have been very clever, skilful etc: · He was smoking a big cigar and was obviously pleased with himself.· I’d made a big profit and was feeling pretty pleased with myself.
disapproving behaving in an unpleasant and annoying way, because you think you are better or know more than other people, and that your opinions are always right: · He was arrogant and regarded people who disagreed with him as fools.· his arrogant attitude to women
disapproving too proud of your appearance, in a way that annoys other people: · He’s so vain – he thinks all the girls fancy him.
disapproving proud of yourself because you think you are very intelligent, skilful, beautiful etc, especially without good reason and in a way that annoys people: · Stewart’s the most arrogant conceited person I’ve ever known.· She was offered a brilliant job and became incredibly big-headed overnight.
disapproving thinking that you are much more important than you really are, and using very long and formal words to try to sound important: · The clerk was a pompous little man with glasses.· a pompous speech
disapproving pleased with yourself in a quiet but annoying way because you think you are in a better position than other people: · Milly was looking very smug about coming top of the class.· a smug expression
disapproving pleased with what you have achieved and showing it clearly in an annoying way: · She glared angrily into his self-satisfied face.· a self-satisfied grin
Longman Language Activatortoo proud someone who is conceited or big-headed is too proud of their own achievements or abilities, in a way that annoys other people: · You're the most conceited, selfish person I've ever met!· I know this sounds big-headed, but I've always been good at French.
someone who is arrogant behaves as if their opinions are more important than other people's, and thinks that they are always right: · You are a rude and arrogant young man.· his arrogant disregard for other people's opinions
someone who is vain thinks they are very good-looking, special, or intelligent: · She's a vain girl who is always thinking about her figure.· I am vain enough to want to look good, but not to style my hair and paint my toenails.
quietly pleased with yourself in an unpleasant and annoying way, because you think you are in a better position than other people: · Lawson comes over as smug and arrogant, but in fact he's quite a decent man.· If you knew, which I'm sure you did judging from your smug expression, why didn't you tell me?smug about: · I felt very smug about not wasting paper.
someone who is self-satisfied thinks that they are very clever, very successful etc, often without good reason, and shows this in an annoying way: · Doyle's self-satisfied smile irritated Haworth.· He was in his early 40s and had the self-satisfied air of someone who has achieved fame and success.· What makes a second-rate actress like Jean so self-satisfied, so over-confident?
spoken to be always talking about your abilities and achievements and never show any interest in those of other people: · She's a good-looking woman, but too full of herself for my liking.· He was too full of himself to care about anyone else.
feeling unreasonably proud of yourself, especially because you think you have done something clever: · I had made a big profit on the deal and was feeling inordinately pleased with myself.· After deceiving us all like that, she went away, no doubt very pleased with herself.
also fancy yourself British spoken informal use this when you think someone is too proud of their abilities or appearance: · You think you're it, don't you? Well you're not!· Like most young professional footballers, he really fancied himself.
to start behaving as if you are very important as a result of something, for example a success or being praised by someone: · It's not surprising that young rock bands let success go to their heads.· I know you did well, but don't let it go to your head -- the hardest part's still to come.
British /too big for your britches American informal to start thinking you are more important than you really are, especially because you have been successful in something: · Bonaparte wasn't all that bad. He was just a soldier who got too big for his boots.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES
showing too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success – used to show disapproval SYN self-satisfiedsmug about ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile. (=one that shows too much satisfaction with your own cleverness or success)· Peter was wearing an unbearably smug expression and waving the tickets in front of me.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· His was the smug look of a man who knew he was in total control and liked it that way.
· I close the window again with a smug smile on my face, and wait for the next battalion of eager buzzers.
What are you looking so smug about?smug expression/look/face/smile etc ‘I knew I’d win,’ she said with a smug smile.► see thesaurus at proud—smugly adverb—smugness noun [uncountable]