smarmy

adjective
UK: /ˈsmɑː.mi/
US: /ˈsmɑːr.mi/

  1. Behaving in a way that seems polite, kind, or pleasant, but is not sincere.

    1. He's a very smarmy man, always trying to impress people.
    2. The smarmy salesman tried to convince me that I needed the expensive model.

  2. Excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily.

    1. I don't trust his smarmy compliments; he just wants a favor.
    2. She found his smarmy attitude irritating and insincere in the meeting.

Synonyms

ingratiating obsequious fawning unctuous oily slick

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "smarmy" in English means: Behaving in a way that seems polite, kind, or pleasant, but is not sincere., Excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily..

The phonetic transcription of "smarmy" is /ˈsmɑː.mi/ in British English and /ˈsmɑːr.mi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "smarmy": ingratiating, obsequious, fawning, unctuous, oily, slick.

Example usage of "smarmy": "He's a very smarmy man, always trying to impress people.". More examples on the page.