adjective
smarm′i·er, smarm′i·estInformal flattering in an oily, insincere manner; unctuous
Origin of smarmy
from smarm, smalm, to bedaub, smear ( from uncertain or unknown; perhaps ) + -y
Sydney gave a smarmy grin to her sister before she made the final move to win the game.
The definition of smarmy is someone who comes across as being insincere.
An example of someone who is smarmy is a used car salesman who tries to come across as if he is a distinguished businessman making you a fair deal but who sounds like he is lying.
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smarmy
Webster's New World College Dictionary, Fifth Edition Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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smarmy
adjective
smarm·i·er, smarm·i·est- Excessively ingratiating or insincerely earnest. See Synonyms at unctuous.
- Relating to or indulging in lewd conduct; smutty: smarmy jokes.
Origin of smarmy
From smarm to smearRelated Forms:
- smarm·i·ness
noun
THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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MLA Style
"Smarmy." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/SMARMY.
APA Style
Smarmy. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SMARMY
Adjective
(comparative smarmier, superlative smarmiest)
- Falsely earnest, smug, or ingratiating.
- a smarmy salesman with a big smile
Origin
From smarm, a variant of smalm/smawm.
English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.
Link to this page
Cite this page
MLA Style
"Smarmy." YourDictionary. LoveToKnow. www.yourdictionary.com/SMARMY.
APA Style
Smarmy. (n.d.). In YourDictionary. Retrieved from https://www.yourdictionary.com/SMARMY
Sentence Examples
- You can choose to be nice or smarmy (sarcastic).
- The worst examples bring to mind images of a smarmy lady's man in a bad suit working his "magic" at the bar.
- Make good or smarmy decisions that will affect the outcome of certain situations.
- He's smarmy, he's immature and he's just plain mean.
- No one can really say why someone like Brody Jenner who, although a little smarmy with the ladies, seems like a pretty okay guy, would ever be friends with a guy like Spencer.
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