smart as a whip

phrase

: very smart or clever

a student who is smart as a whip

Our new puppy is as smart as a whip

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of smart as a whip was in 1821

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smart-arse

smart as a whip

smart-ass

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Style

“Smart as a whip.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smart%20as%20a%20whip. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.

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smart as a whip

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