complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplā-sᵊn(t)-sē 
plural complacencies
1
: self-satisfaction especially when accompanied by unawareness of actual dangers or deficiencies
When it comes to safety, complacency can be dangerous.
2
: an instance of usually unaware or uninformed self-satisfaction
Examples of complacency in a Sentence
He sees a dangerous sense of complacency about the U.S. stock market—where investors were emboldened after the 1998 downturn was followed by a resounding snapback.
—
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Bernard Wysocki, Jr., Wall Street Journal, 3 Aug. 1999
He spoke, however, with resignation, even complacency, rather than anguish.
—Harriet Ritvo, The Platypus and The Mermaid, 1997
… you say to yourself, "OK, why did it happen? Why did we make those bad engineering decisions we made in 1967 and 1986 with Challenger?" I'll tell you. It's the human element. And I suggest that there's a complacency there that comes from success.
—Alan Shepard, Yankee, October 1991
Tony Brace lived in Richmond, in circumstances of impeccable domestic content. Matthew and Susan had visited, in the early days of their marriage; driving home, they had mocked the décor and the connubial complacency.
—Penelope Lively, City Of The Mind, 1991
The public was lulled into complacency.
a momentary complacency that was quickly dispelled by the shock of cold reality
Recent Examples on the Web
Earnings estimates coming down The complacency around tariffs is dissipating, wrote CNBC’s Bob Pisani.
—Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
My years have granted me both perspective and the freedom to question more vigorously, push harder against accepted narratives, and challenge the complacency that too often surrounds discussions of racial progress.
—Lewis M. Rambo, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2025
The players are stressing words like discipline and details, and becoming increasingly irritated by interlopers mentioning the phrase complacency.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2025
The long-term consequences of ignoring curiosity include a culture of complacency, where employees feel disengaged and hesitant to voice ideas that could lead to breakthrough innovations.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
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Yeo Boon Ping, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2025
My years have granted me both perspective and the freedom to question more vigorously, push harder against accepted narratives, and challenge the complacency that too often surrounds discussions of racial progress.
—Lewis M. Rambo, Twin Cities, 2 Mar. 2025
The players are stressing words like discipline and details, and becoming increasingly irritated by interlopers mentioning the phrase complacency.
—Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 Feb. 2025
The long-term consequences of ignoring curiosity include a culture of complacency, where employees feel disengaged and hesitant to voice ideas that could lead to breakthrough innovations.
—Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for complacency
Cite this Entry
“Complacency.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/complacency. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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complacency
noun
com·pla·cen·cy
kəm-ˈplās-ᵊn-sē
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