smarmy

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smarm·y

(smär′mē)

adj. smarm·i·er, smarm·i·est

1. Excessively ingratiating or insincerely earnest. See Synonyms at unctuous.

2. Relating to or indulging in lewd conduct; smutty: smarmy jokes.

[From smarm, to smear.]

smarm·i·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

smarmy

(ˈsmɑːmɪ)

adj, smarmier or smarmiest

informal Brit obsequiously flattering or unpleasantly suave

ˈsmarmily adv

ˈsmarminess n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

smarm•y

(ˈsmɑr mi)

adj. smarm•i•er, smarm•i•est.

excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.

[1905–10; variant of dial. smalm to smear (of obscure orig.) + -y¹]

smarm′i•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

smarmy - 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"

buttery, fulsome, oleaginous, unctuous, soapy, oily

insincere - lacking sincerity; "a charming but thoroughly insincere woman"; "their praise was extravagant and insincere"

smarmy

adjective (Informal) obsequious, slimy, ingratiating, unctuous, smooth, crawling, greasy, oily, fawning, suave, soapy (slang), fulsome, sycophantic, servile, toadying, bowing and scraping, bootlicking (informal) He is slightly smarmy and eager to impress.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

smarmy

adjective

Affectedly and self-servingly earnest:

fulsome, oily, oleaginous, sleek, unctuous.

Translations

مُبالِغ في الإحْتِرام

podlézavý

slesk

kriecherisch schmierig

zalamero

imarteleva

obséquieux

fleîulegur

įsiteikiantispadlaižiaujantispadlaižūniškumas

lišķīgs

podlízavý

smarmy

[ˈsmɑːmɪ] ADJ (smarmier (compar) (smarmiest (superl))) (Brit) → zalamero

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

smarmy

adj (+er) (Brit inf: = greasy) → schmierig; (= ingratiating) → kriecherisch (pej); voice → einschmeichelnd

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

smarmy

[ˈsmɑːmɪ] adj (-ier (comp) (-iest (superl))) (Brit) (fam) → untuoso/a, servile

smarmy

(ˈsmaːmi) adjective

over-respectful and inclined to use flattery. I can't bear his smarmy manner.

ˈsmarminess noun

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References in periodicals archive ?

He also stops by to see Cox, who informs him ominously that others in their group have died and warns, somewhat unnecessarily: "Keep your eyes open, my friend.'' He goes next to Barcelona, where he discovers that Felix has become even smarmier and has somehow managed to marry Annie (Why she would do this -- let alone plan to adopt a child with him -- is not explained).

Sean Penn flexes aging action-hero muscles in 'Gunman'

This week smarmy investment banker turned even smarmier Tory MP Mark Garnier (whose motto I'm guessing is "because I'm worth it") urged his party not to try to attract "dog-end voters" who live in "the outlying regions" of Britain.

SARCASM OF A DOG-END PLEB

There was some good skating, mainly from Ray Quinn, a man smarmier than matured cheese.