Recent Examples on the Web
Travel better and smarter with this 3-piece hardside luggage set from Wrangler (yes, the jeans company).
—
Katherine Alex Beaven, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2023
Check out our roundups of the smartest dog breeds, quiet dog breeds that barely bark, laziest dog breeds that are total couch potatoes, as well as the most popular dog breeds in the U.S.
—Alesandra Dubin, Good Housekeeping, 11 Apr. 2023
Luckily there are many smart storage solutions, organizational tools, tips and tricks available to help make that under-sink space more functional.
—Maryal Miller Carter, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2023
So some older smart displays should continue receiving software updates for now.
—Michael Kan, PCMAG, 10 Apr. 2023
This is our most eco-friendly picnic blanket so far and a gorgeous smart picnic accessory with beautiful British Heritage.
—townandcountrymag.com, 10 Apr. 2023
Employees are smart grownups who deserve to be treated as such.
—Amy Leschke-kahle, Fortune, 10 Apr. 2023
Gilday and others have said incorporating new technologies into the fleet can create a smaller but smarter presence by the Navy around the world.
—Peter Kasperowicz, Fox News, 10 Apr. 2023
For example, a smart city might consider this whole innovation puzzle in thinking about which nonstops should be added at their airport.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2023
The service is available on any device that runs Apple’s TV app, from Apple’s Macs, iPads, and iPhones to smart TVs, streaming boxes, or other companies’ game consoles.
—Samuel Axon, Ars Technica, 1 Feb. 2023
From Apple’s AirTags to smart home equipment, keep your family and friends up to date with the latest and greatest.
—Madeline Fass, Vogue, 10 Dec. 2022
The highs here work because the MCU is a monument to smart casting; there’s warmth amid the chill.
—Christopher Borrelli, Chicago Tribune, 11 Nov. 2022
Google’s sustainability efforts span its offerings, ranging from machine learning to help cool its data centers to smart thermostats that conserve home energy.
—Matt Whittaker, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022
And can smart regulation ensure companies are providing equal opportunities to all potential employees?
—Kristen Bellstrom, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2021
Why would smart people follow their leaders in unknown, possibly risky terrain, when even those leaders are unsure about the smartest way ahead?
—Jean-francois Cousin, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021
Everything from cell phones to smart watches to navigation systems on cars, commercial planes, and cargo ships relies on GPS.
—Sarah Scoles, Wired, 17 June 2021
Prime Day is one of the best times to snag steep discounts on tech products, from streaming devices to smart gadgets to wearable accessories.
—Alex Warner, PEOPLE.com, 22 June 2021
The Patriots coach had heard many a college coach give him the standard spiel about how smart this prospect or that prospect was, so when Rutgers coach Greg Schiano gushed about Devin McCourty’s smarts, Belichick wanted to see for himself.
—Jim Mcbride, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Mar. 2023
Known for his smart (but cool) tailoring, Do introduced menswear into his assortment, and the pieces were entirely delicious.
—Vogue Runway, Vogue, 19 Dec. 2022
Humanity has never come up with a more perfect instrument than social media to separate the smart from the dense, the mature from the childish and the self-aware from the self-absorbed.
—Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2022
New York smart tells us that this situation and moment are not about the facts.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2021
Carl ended up teaching the smartest of the smart at the Naval Academy for the Trident Scholars, where his maxim formed a part of the curriculum.
—Ellevate, Forbes, 24 May 2021
Emsisoft analyst Brett Callow called AXA’s decision smart, noting that some organizations seem more inclined to pay ransom if the money isn’t coming from their own pockets.
—Frank Bajak, Star Tribune, 6 May 2021
Anthes is bullish on the possibilities of the smart.
—Max Holleran, The New Republic, 3 Dec. 2020
Apple might finally release AirTags, a coin-size smart-tracker that relies on Apple’s iCloud network to help users locate missing items.
—Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2020
That means smart-stacking plates that double as lids for bowls, bowls that nest into serving platters, and so on.
—Bon Appétit, 30 Nov. 2022
Here’s another smart-looking slipper that’s well-priced.
—Danny Perez, Popular Mechanics, 28 Oct. 2022
Monroe eschewed a typical gown in favor of a smart-looking brown suit with a fluffy white collar, while DiMaggio wore a simple suit.
—Paul Schrodt, Men’s Health, 10 Oct. 2022
Seats can be trimmed in a smart-looking gray wool blend, part of Volvo’s effort to eliminate leather use by 2030.
—cleveland, 24 Sep. 2022
The stand has a sleek design made from thin but sturdy fiberglass, pieced together in a smart-looking Z-shape.
—Thomas Hindle, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022
The smart-looking bag is made from a two-tone high-tech fabric with a clean design.
—Adam Morganstern, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2021
The advent of 5G also boosted demand for more powerful server chips to handle cloud computing, artificial intelligence and smart-driving technologies.
—Takashi Mochizuki, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2021
Last year Honda launched its first-ever EV, the tiny, quirky yet aptly named ‘Honda e,’ while Mazda also debuted the smart-looking MX-30, its first electric crossover.
—Peter Lyon, Forbes, 29 June 2021
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word ‘smart.’ Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
This shows grade level based on the word’s complexity.
verb (used without object)
to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound.
to be the cause of a sharp, stinging pain, as an irritating application, a blow, etc.
to feel a sharp, stinging pain, as in a wound.
to suffer keenly from wounded feelings: She smarted under their criticism.
to feel shame or remorse or to suffer in punishment or in return for something.
verb (used with object)
to cause a sharp pain to or in.
adjective, smart·er, smart·est.
quick or prompt in action, as persons.
having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability: a smart student.
shrewd or sharp, as a person in dealing with others or as in business dealings: a smart businessman.
clever, witty, or readily effective, as a speaker, speech, rejoinder, etc.
dashingly or impressively neat or trim in appearance, as persons, dress, etc.
socially elegant; sophisticated or fashionable: the smart crowd.
saucy; pert: smart remarks.
sharply brisk, vigorous, or active: to walk with smart steps.
sharply severe, as a blow, stroke, etc.
sharp or keen: a smart pain.
Digital Technology.
- (of a machine, system, etc.) equipped with electronic control mechanisms, software programs, etc., and capable of remote, automated, and seemingly intelligent operation: smart copiers;smart weapons;a smart thermostat.
- equipped with microprocessors, as for data processing, internet access, etc. (usually used in combination): a smartphone;a smartwatch.
having properties that can be changed in response to stimuli or environmental conditions; self-regulating: smart fabrics that respond to temperature or light.
Older Use. considerable; fairly large.
adverb
in a smart manner; smartly.
noun
a sharp local pain, usually superficial, as from a wound, blow, or sting.
keen mental suffering, as from wounded feelings, affliction, grievous loss, etc.
smarts, Slang. intelligence; common sense: He never had the smarts to use his opportunities.
QUIZ
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Origin of smart
First recorded before 1050; Middle English (verb) smerten, Old English -smeortan (only in the compound fyrsmeortende “painful like fire”), cognate with Old High German smerzan (German schmerzen ); (adjective) Middle English smerte, smart “quick, prompt, sharp,” originally, “biting, smarting,” late Old English smearte, akin to the verb; (adverb and noun) Middle English smerte, derivative of the adjective
OTHER WORDS FROM smart
smart·ing·ly, adverbsmart·ly, adverbsmart·ness, nounsu·per·smart, adjective
su·per·smart·ness, nounul·tra·smart, adjectiveun·smart, adjectiveun·smart·ing, adjective
Words nearby smart
smaragd, smaragdine, smaragdite, smarm, smarmy, smart, smart aleck, smartarse, smart as a whip, smart ass, smart bomb
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Words related to smart
agile, astute, bold, brainy, bright, brilliant, canny, crafty, good, nimble, quick, resourceful, sharp, shrewd, slick, wise, active, energetic, ache, throb
How to use smart in a sentence
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The structures are fashioned from “smart glass” that renders them opaque after a user enters and locks the door.
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Many analysts say Huang’s emphasis on Arm’s strength in energy-efficiency is smart.
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Not all of these series are good — some are quite bad, actually — but you can feel smart for watching them all the same.
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While Amazon continues to lead the smart speaker market, both Google and Apple have the advantage of having their voice assistants built into smartphones.
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In May, and again this fall, the district rolled out “smart” buses with Wi-Fi hot spots in areas without reliable internet access.
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And increasingly smart navigation aids in the cockpit brought far greater precision and efficiency to route planning.
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A woman in a smart uniform scribbles out tickets for a growing line of tourists eager to take a trip on the old-fashioned train.
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It used to be frequently said back in 2000 that Jeb was “the smart brother.”
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A lot of British pubs have been smart enough to understand this and respond.
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Thorgerson and Powell turned to video and film—a smart move given the emergence of MTV.
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During the first week, not a day passed without smart skirmishes.
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Then summoning a smart young jemadar with whom he had talked a good deal during the journey, he asked him to read the chit.
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Who could have believed that only a fortnight ago these same figures were clean as new pins; smart and well-liking!
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Christopher Smart, an English poet and miscellaneous writer, died; known by a popular translation of Horace.
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It was there that he longed to retire—to a dainty little hotel of his own with a smart clientèle.
British Dictionary definitions for smart (1 of 2)
adjective
astute, as in business; clever or bright
quick, witty, and often impertinent in speecha smart talker
fashionable; chica smart hotel
well-kept; neat
causing a sharp stinging pain
vigorous or brisk
dialect considerable or numerousa smart price
(of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control
(of a projectile or bomb) containing a device that allows it to be guided to its target
verb (mainly intr)
to feel, cause, or be the source of a sharp stinging physical pain or keen mental distressa nettle sting smarts; he smarted under their abuse
(often foll by for) to suffer a harsh penalty
noun
a stinging pain or feeling
Derived forms of smart
smartish, adjectivesmartly, adverbsmartness, noun
Word Origin for smart
Old English smeortan; related to Old High German smerzan, Latin mordēre to bite, Greek smerdnos terrible
British Dictionary definitions for smart (2 of 2)
noun
Christopher. 1722–71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758–63, published 1939). He was confined (1756–63) for religious mania and died in a debtors’ prison
Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
adj
1 astute, as in business; clever or bright
2 quick, witty, and often impertinent in speech
a smart talker
3 fashionable; chic
a smart hotel
5 causing a sharp stinging pain
7 Dialect considerable or numerous
a smart price
8 (of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control
9 (of a projectile or bomb) containing a device that allows it to be guided to its target
vb mainly intr
10 to feel, cause, or be the source of a sharp stinging physical pain or keen mental distress
a nettle sting smarts, he smarted under their abuse
11 often foll by: for to suffer a harsh penalty
n
12 a stinging pain or feeling
adv
13 in a smart manner
(Old English smeortan; related to Old High German smerzan, Latin mordere to bite, Greek smerdnos terrible)
♦
smartish adj
♦
smartly adv
♦
smartness n
Smart
n Christopher. 1722—71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758—63, published 1939). He was confined (1756—63) for religious mania and died in a debtors’ prison
smart aleck
n pl , smart alecks
Informal an irritatingly oversmart person
(C19: from Aleck, Alec, short for Alexander)
♦
smart-aleck, smart-alecky adj
smart card
n a plastic card with integrated circuits used for storing and processing computer data, (Also called)
laser card, intelligent card
smart money
n
a money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors, esp. with inside information
b the gamblers or investors themselves
2 money paid in order to extricate oneself from an unpleasant situation or agreement, esp. from military service
3 money paid by an employer to someone injured while working for him
4 (U.S. law) damages awarded to a plaintiff where the wrong was aggravated by fraud, malice, etc.
smart set
n functioning as sing or pl fashionable sophisticated people considered as a group
English Collins Dictionary — English Definition & Thesaurus 
Smart
n Christopher. 1722—71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758—63, published 1939). He was confined (1756—63) for religious mania and died in a debtors’ prison
smart
adj
1 astute, as in business; clever or bright
2 quick, witty, and often impertinent in speech
a smart talker
3 fashionable; chic
a smart hotel
5 causing a sharp stinging pain
7 Dialect considerable or numerous
a smart price
8 (of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control
9 (of a projectile or bomb) containing a device that allows it to be guided to its target
vb mainly intr
10 to feel, cause, or be the source of a sharp stinging physical pain or keen mental distress
a nettle sting smarts, he smarted under their abuse
11 often foll by: for to suffer a harsh penalty
n
12 a stinging pain or feeling
adv
13 in a smart manner
(Old English smeortan; related to Old High German smerzan, Latin mordere to bite, Greek smerdnos terrible)
♦
smartish adj
♦
smartly adv
♦
smartness n
smart aleck
n pl , smart alecks
Informal an irritatingly oversmart person
(C19: from Aleck, Alec, short for Alexander)
♦
smart-aleck, smart-alecky adj
smart card
n a plastic card with integrated circuits used for storing and processing computer data, (Also called)
laser card, intelligent card
smart money
n
a money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors, esp. with inside information
b the gamblers or investors themselves
2 money paid in order to extricate oneself from an unpleasant situation or agreement, esp. from military service
3 money paid by an employer to someone injured while working for him
4 (U.S. law) damages awarded to a plaintiff where the wrong was aggravated by fraud, malice, etc.
smart set
n functioning as sing or pl fashionable sophisticated people considered as a group
English Collins Dictionary — English Definition & Thesaurus
smart
[
1]
adj
1 acute, adept, agile, apt, astute, bright, brisk, canny, clever, ingenious, intelligent, keen, nimble, quick, quick-witted, ready, sharp, shrewd
2 as fresh as a daisy, chic, elegant, fashionable, fine, modish, natty (informal) neat, smart, snappy, spruce, stylish, trendy (Brit. informal) trim, well turned-out
3 effective, impertinent, nimble-witted, pointed, ready, saucy, smart-alecky (informal) witty
4 brisk, cracking (informal) jaunty, lively, quick, spanking, spirited, vigorous
Antonyms
1 daft (informal) dense, dim-witted (informal) dull, dumb (informal) foolish, idiotic, moronic, slow, stupid, thick, unintelligent
2 dowdy, dull, fogeyish, naff (Brit. slang) old-fashioned, outmoded, out-of-date, passé, scruffy, sloppy, uncool, unfashionable, untrendy (Brit. informal)
3 modest, polite, respectful, restrained, unobtrusive
English Collins Dictionary — English synonyms & Thesaurus
smart [2]
1
vb burn, hurt, pain, sting, throb, tingle
2
adj hard, keen, painful, piercing, resounding, sharp, stinging
3
n burning sensation, pain, pang, smarting, soreness, sting
English Collins Dictionary — English synonyms & Thesaurus
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Meaning of SMART in English
adj., v., n., & adv.
adj. 1 a clever; ingenious; quickwitted (a smart talker; gave a smart answer). b keen in bargaining; quick to take advantage. c (of transactions etc.) unscrupulous to the point of dishonesty. 2 well-groomed; neat; bright and fresh in appearance (a smart suit). 3 in good repair; showing bright colours, new paint, etc. (a smart red bicycle). 4 stylish; fashionable; prominent in society (in all the smart restaurants; the smart set). 5 quick; brisk (set a smart pace). 6 painfully severe; sharp; vigorous (a smart blow).
v.intr. 1 (of a person or a part of the body) feel or give acute pain or distress (my eye smarts; smarting from the insult). 2 (of an insult, grievance, etc.) rankle. 3 (foll. by for) suffer the consequences of (you will smart for this).
n. a bodily or mental sharp pain; a stinging sensation.
adv. smartly; in a smart manner. look smart make haste. smart-arse (or -ass) = SMART ALEC. smart-money 1 money paid or exacted as a penalty or compensation. 2 money invested by persons with expert knowledge. smartingly adv. smartish adj. & adv. smartly adv. smartness n.
[ OE smeart, smeortan ]
Concise Oxford English dictionary.
Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка.
2012