Smarty-pants

A colloquial term used to describe a person who exhibits excessive cleverness, often in a self-satisfied or smug manner, making them appear overly knowledgeable or superior. A 'smarty-pants' typically demonstrates a tendency to show off their intelligence or expertise, sometimes irritating others in the process, and is often perceived as lacking humility.

Smarty-pants meaning with examples

• When Lucy answered every question correctly during the trivia night, her friends jokingly called her a smarty-pants. They admired her intelligence but also felt a bit overshadowed by her constant ability to recall obscure facts and figures. Although she took the teasing in stride, her friends secretly wished they could match her trivia prowess.
• During the group project, John couldn't help but flaunt his superior knowledge, much to his teammates' annoyance. They playfully referred to him as the 'smarty-pants' of the team. While they appreciated his expertise in the subject, they often found themselves feeling inadequate and left out of the conversation, leading to some tension in the group.
• At the family reunion, Aunt Carol brought up trivia questions from the past, causing her son Robbie to eagerly jump in with all the answers. His relatives affectionately dubbed him the 'smarty-pants' for knowing so much about their family's history. Although they appreciated his insights, they couldn't help but tease him about his relentless eagerness to showcase his knowledge.
• On the first day of school, Sarah quickly became known as the 'smarty-pants' among her classmates due to her knack for answering teacher questions. While some were envious of her academic brilliance, others admired her dedication to learning. Despite her peers’ mixed feelings, Sarah remained humble and often helped others with their studies, proving she was more than just a show-off.