Complacent:
* Meaning: Feeling smugly satisfied with oneself or one's achievements, often to the point of ignoring potential problems.
* Connotation: Negative. Complacency often suggests a lack of ambition, motivation, or awareness of risks.
* Example: "The company became complacent after years of success, failing to adapt to the changing market."
Complaisant:
* Meaning: Willing to please others; eager to please; overly polite or deferential.
* Connotation: Can be neutral or slightly negative. Overly complaisant behavior can be seen as submissive or lacking in assertiveness.
* Example: "The complaisant waiter catered to the customer's every whim."
Key Differences:
* Focus: Complacent is about one's attitude towards oneself, while complaisant focuses on one's behavior towards others.
* Connotation: Complacency is generally negative, while complaisance can be neutral or slightly negative depending on the context.
Here's a simple way to remember the difference:
* Complacent: "I'm content" (a state of mind)
* Complaisant: "I'll please you" (a behavior)