sophomoric
Smugly juvenile thinking
Sophomoric describes behavior or work that is immature and overconfident—characteristic of someone who has learned just enough to think they know everything.
The word evokes a second-year student (sophomore) who mistakes shallow knowledge for wisdom: His sophomoric humor fell flat with the older crowd.
It suggests trying too hard to be clever or shocking while lacking genuine insight.
Immature in manner
- puerileChildishly foolish
- juvenileYoung person or animal
- callowYouthfully naive and untested
- foolishLacking good sense
silly · infantile · unseasoned · fledgling · green · raw · undeveloped · unripe
Unpolished, raw state
- lowbrowLacking intellectual depth
- crassCrudely lacking refinement
- juvenileYoung person or animal
- tastelessHaving no flavor
vulgar · bawdy · slapstick · toilet humor · potty · prank · gross-out · immature
Affectedly grand in manner
- bombasticExcessively inflated language
- grandiloquentPretentiously elevated in speech
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
- pseudo-intellectualFeigns deep understanding
highfalutin · pedantic · overblown · ostentatious · self-important · grandiose · inflated · overwrought
Excessively self-assured
- brashOffensively self-assertive
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- self-assuredTrusting in oneself
- arrogantExcessively high self-regard
presumptuous · conceited · swaggering · boastful · bumptious · hubristic · know-it-all · smartass
childish
Immature in manner
foolish · silly · infantile · unseasoned · fledgling · green · raw · undeveloped · unripe · half-baked
crude
Unpolished, raw state
tasteless · vulgar · bawdy · slapstick · toilet humor · potty · prank · gross-out · immature · buffoonish
pompous
Affectedly grand in manner
- bombasticExcessively inflated language
- grandiloquentPretentiously elevated in speech
- affectedArtificially contrived behavior
pseudo-intellectual · highfalutin · pedantic · overblown · ostentatious · self-important · grandiose · inflated · overwrought · stilted
cocky
Excessively self-assured
- brashOffensively self-assertive
- smugExcessively self-satisfied
- self-assuredTrusting in oneself
arrogant · presumptuous · conceited · swaggering · boastful · bumptious · hubristic · know-it-all · smartass · wiseguy
sophomoricwise
Showing good judgment
sagacious · mature · judicious · discerning · profound
- sophomore yearStudent's tenth grade or second college term
- sophomore slumpPost-debut performance drop
- sophomore albumArtist's second LP