Complacency
/kəmˈpleɪsənsi/
Definitions
A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements.
/kəmˈpleɪsənsi/
Self-satisfaction; smugness.
Their complacency prevented them from seeing the danger.
💡 Simply: Complacency is like being too happy with yourself and not trying to improve. Imagine a student who always gets good grades without studying – that's complacency! It can lead to problems down the road.
👶 For kids: Being too happy with yourself and not trying harder.
More Examples
His success bred complacency and a lack of ambition.
How It's Used
"The company's complacency led to its downfall."
"Political complacency can have devastating consequences."
From Middle French *complaisance, from complaire 'to please'. Ultimately from Latin *complacēre, from com- 'together' + placēre 'to please'.
Historically, the term has often been used in a political context to describe a government's failure to anticipate or respond to threats.
Memory tip
Think of 'com' (completely) + 'place' (satisfied) + 'ency' (state of being).