smarten

verb

smart·​en ˈsmär-tᵊn 

smartened; smartening ˈsmär-tᵊn-iŋ 

ˈsmärt-niŋ

transitive verb

: to make smart or smarter

especially : spruce

—usually used with up

intransitive verb

: to smarten oneself

—used with up

Examples of smarten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ring Battery Deal The Ring Battery Doorbell gives you a budget-friendly way to smarten your porch without hassle. — PC Magazine, 15 Oct. 2025

For footwear, the only way to dress and impress in formal summer weddings is via tuxedo shoes, and these monk straps in glossy leather finish will easily smarten you up while hitting the nail on dressy formal attire. — Ted Stafford, Men's Health, 30 June 2023

The iSmartgate Pro is a kit that will smarten up your existing garage door opener. — Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 15 Nov. 2022

This will not only smarten up the tree but, more importantly, also leave a small, clean wound that will heal more quickly. — Washington Post, 7 July 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Phrases Containing smarten

• smarten up

Rhymes for smarten

• carton
• garten
• marten
• parton
• spartan
• tartan
• kindergarten

Kids Definition

smarten

verb

smart·​en ˈsmärt-ᵊn 

smartened; smartening ˈsmärt-niŋ 

-ᵊn-iŋ

1

: to make smart or smarter

especially : spruce, freshen

smartened themselves for the party

2

: to make or become more alert or informed

smarten up, before it's too late