wise guy

NOUN

smart-aleck

Synonyms

STRONGEST

know-it-all

WEAK

bigmouth smart-ass smarty-pants wiseacre wiseass wisenheimer

NOUN

gangster

Synonyms

STRONGEST

mobster

WEAK

criminal crook hood mafioso member of the family

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“You wouldn’t hire a wise guy, you wouldn’t hire a made man, like a mobster, to work in a DA’s office.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 26, 2024

Locke has Charlie’s gentle deportment but with the soft edge of a cool-kid wise guy.

From New York Times • Jul. 29, 2023

I enjoyed the Marx Brothers movies, but I liked Groucho because he was the wise guy.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 13, 2021

Some wise guy would have tossed in toilet paper.

From Washington Times • Jan. 1, 2021

The driver was sort of a wise guy.

From "The Catcher in the Rye" by J. D. Salinger