Adjacent Words

smarmy definitions

	Tweet

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

adj
1: unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; "buttery praise"; "gave him a fulsome introduction"; "an oily sycophantic press agent"; "oleaginous hypocrisy"; "smarmy self-importance"; "the unctuous Uriah Heep"; "soapy compliments" [syn: buttery, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy, unctuous]

Merriam Webster's

adjective (smarmier; -est) Etymology: smarm to gush, slobber Date: 1924 1. revealing or marked by a smug, ingratiating, or false earnestness <a tone of smarmy self-satisfaction — New Yorker> 2. of low sleazy taste or quality <smarmy eroticism> • smarmily adverb • smarminess noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

adj. (smarmier, smarmiest) colloq. ingratiating; flattering; obsequious. Derivatives: smarmily adv. smarminess n.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(smarmier, smarmiest) If you describe someone as smarmy, you dislike them because they are unpleasantly polite and flattering, usually because they want you to like them or to do something for them. (BRIT INFORMAL) Rick is slightly smarmy and eager to impress. ADJ [disapproval]

Moby Thesaurus

adulatory, bland, blandishing, blarneying, buttery, cajoling, complimentary, courtierly, courtly, fair-spoken, fawning, fine-spoken, flattering, fulsome, glassy, glossy, gushing, honey-mouthed, honey-tongued, honeyed, insincere, insinuating, mealymouthed, obsequious, oily, oily-tongued, oleaginous, polished, slick, slimy, slobbery, smooth, smooth-spoken, smooth-tongued, soapy, soft-soaping, sycophantic, unctuous, wheedling