摘要：“Complacency”源自拉丁语“complacence”，意为“满意”或“愉悦”。词根“com-”表示“完全”，“plac-”表示“喜欢”或“满意”，整体意为“完全满意”。在中古英语中，这个词演变为“complacence”，并逐渐进入现代英语，形成了“

TOEFLCET4CET6IELTS

complacency

英 [kəm'pleɪsnsi] 美 [kəm'pleɪsnsi]

n.自满；沾沾自喜

◉Etymology

“Complacency”源自拉丁语“complacence”，意为“满意”或“愉悦”。词根“com-”表示“完全”，“plac-”表示“喜欢”或“满意”，整体意为“完全满意”。在中古英语中，这个词演变为“complacence”，并逐渐进入现代英语，形成了“complacency”一词。词源反映了“Complacency”与过度满足和缺乏警觉性之间的联系。

◉外刊例句

① 《华尔街日报》, 2023-10-20

The company’s culture of complacency led to a series of preventable accidents.

该公司自满的文化导致了一系列本可避免的事故。

② 《经济学人》, 2023-09-15

Policymakers must avoid complacency in the face of economic challenges.

政策制定者在面对经济挑战时必须避免自满。

◉经典名著

《了不起的盖茨比》（The Great Gatsby）, F·斯科特·菲茨杰拉德, 1925

The characters’ complacency in their lavish lifestyles contributed to their moral decay.

角色们对自己奢华生活方式的自满加剧了他们的道德沦丧。

《双城记》（A Tale of Two Cities）, 查尔斯·狄更斯, 1859

The aristocracy’s complacency blinded them to the growing revolution.

贵族的自满使他们无视日益增长的革命。

◉Usage Examples

(1) This power is strong enough to shatter complacency.

(2) Many of us began maturing in complacency.

(3) With the state of affairs in the North so dangerous I see no reason for the government's complacency.

(1) 这种力量足以打破自满情绪。

(2) 我们中许多人在自满情绪中成长。

(3) 北方局势如此危险，我认为政府毫无理由沾沾自喜。

◉Usage Notes

The word complacency is often hurled, in a rather scornful manner, at people who are unwilling to be political. It connotes a sense of ease and contentment with the status quo.

It is a rare thing to hear the word complacency used in a purely positive way; there's always a sense of scolding to it. At best it's used to convey a person's satisfaction: "Oh? No one asked you to the prom? I've been asked three times," she said with smiling complacency. More usually, however, it takes on a political tone, as with large bodies of people who are unwilling to protest corruption because it doesn't touch them: "He preached and argued, but it was impossible to jostle the students from their complacency."

1. [N-UNCOUNT 不可数名词]自满；沾沾自喜 Complacency is being complacent about a situation. [disapproval]

① ...a worrying level of complacency about the risks of infection from AIDS...

对感染艾滋病的危险毫不在意，实在堪忧

② She warned that there was no room for complacency on inflation.

她警告说对待通货膨胀不能有一丝的懈怠。

来源：学无用的英语