complacent
kum-PLAY-sent · adjective
Self-satisfied and insufficiently aware of possible danger or failure.
Memory connection
Picture “come play—scent”
The scent of roses invites the guards to come play. They relax proudly while wolves slip toward the unprotected gate.
The sound cue helps you reach the scene; the action in the scene carries you from the scene to the definition.
Use it accurately
Meaning in context
A long winning streak made the team complacent about basic preparation.
Officials warned residents not to become complacent merely because the first storm had passed.
Complacent is critical: confidence has become comfortable inattention. It often appears with about, as in complacent about safety.
Common patterns
- become complacent
- complacent about
- a complacent attitude
Quick check
Can you retrieve the meaning?
Why is complacency risky?
Choose an answer, then explain it in your own words.