smug

Imagine someone who just aced a test they barely studied for, then told everyone how easy it was. That is the feeling here: being very pleased with yourself in a way that shows you think you are a bit better or cleverer than other people. You might describe a cat that has just knocked something off a table as looking smug. People who seem this way often have a little smirk, and their attitude can quickly annoy everyone around them. In movies, villains are often written this way so you enjoy seeing them humbled later.

This word is more than simple confidence. It describes a kind of self-satisfaction that feels irritating because it comes with a sense of superiority. A person who seems this way does not just feel proud; they seem quietly pleased with themselves while also acting as if other people are less capable, less informed, or less disciplined.

You might use it for someone who made a prediction and then could not resist showing off when they turned out to be right. You might also use it for someone who follows the rules carefully and then points out everyone else's mistakes with obvious satisfaction. A person can have a smug smile, a smug tone, or a smug look, and in each case the idea is similar: they are enjoying their own sense of being right, better, or above the situation.

It is not usually used as praise. Even when the person has done something well, this word suggests that they are enjoying their success in a way that makes others uncomfortable. That is why it often appears in stories, conversations, and descriptions of facial expressions: it captures not just pride, but pride with an unpleasant edge.