# complacent

/kəmˈpɫeɪsənt/ (US) · /kəmplˈeɪsənt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/complacent
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. too satisfied with oneself

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

feeling so satisfied with your own success that you stop trying to work hard or improve.

For teachers: uncritically satisfied with oneself or one's achievements; often implies a smug or lazy attitude toward further progress.

- The team became complacent after winning three games and lost the final match.
- Success in the first quarter made the sales team complacent, leading them to ignore emerging competitors until their market share began to dwindle.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'about' or 'in'.

Teaching tip: Learners often confuse this with 'complaisant' (willing to please others). 'Complacent' is much more common and usually has a negative tone regarding laziness or overconfidence.

### 2. unworried about danger

adjective · CEFR C1 · Formal

not worried enough about a problem or danger because you think everything is fine.

For teachers: unduly unworried or apathetic regarding a potential need, problem, or threat.

- We cannot be complacent about climate change; we must act now.
- The government was accused of being complacent about the aging infrastructure, failing to authorize repairs until the bridge actually collapsed.

Teaching tip: This sense is frequently used in political or safety contexts to describe a dangerous lack of preparation.

## Examples

- We cannot become complacent just because we are winning.
- The company became complacent after years of market dominance and failed to notice its competitors catching up.
- Success often breeds a complacent attitude in established institutions, making them vulnerable to more agile and innovative startups that are still hungry for growth.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.