complacency means A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble. Lexicurio rates it Rare gem — a strength score of 73 out of 100.
complacency is pronounced /kəmˈpleɪsənˌsiː/.
Why “complacency” is a great word
COMPLACENCY — [Noun] A feeling of smug or uncritical satisfaction with oneself or one's achievements, especially when unaware of potential dangers or deficiencies. From Late Latin complacentia ("satisfaction, pleasure"), from Latin complacēre ("to please greatly"). First attested in English in the mid-17th century. Unlike "contentment," which implies a peaceful, earned satisfaction, or "vigilance," which denotes active watchfulness, complacency is a passive and perilous self-assurance. It is the soft armchair before a banked fire as the house cools, the satisfied hum of machinery no one has oiled, and the unguarded smile of a king who believes his throne eternal—a luxurious misapprehension that the present tense is permanent.
noun
- A feeling of contented self-satisfaction, especially when unaware of upcoming trouble.“Others proclaim the infirmities of a great man with satisfaction and complacency, if they discover none of the like in themselves.”
- An instance of self-satisfaction.
- Passivity as a result of contentment with the current situation.