smart
verb
smarted; smarting; smarts
1
: to cause or be the cause or seat of a sharp stinging pain
also
: to feel or have such a pain
2
a
: to feel or endure distress, remorse, or embarrassment
… smarting from wounded vanity …—
W. L. Shirer
W. L. Shirer
b
: to pay a heavy or stinging penalty
would have to smart for this foolishness
Examples of smart in a Sentence
Her eyes were smarting from the smoke.
the injection only smarted for a moment
Recent Examples on the Web
This happens every single day, to smart and hardworking business owners who did everything right.
—Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The French, still smarting from the Treaty of Paris, did not.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The centers are also smarting from the expiration of $23 million in general fund dollars that were approved in 2022, according to Janelle Melohn with the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for smart
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Lien De Pau, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
The French, still smarting from the Treaty of Paris, did not.
—Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
Underlying tensions are taut, Iran thinks the US blockade is a violation, the UAE is still smarting from Iranian missile attacks Monday and Tuesday, and Israel is torching a key plank of the ceasefire deal, re-escalating in Lebanon by bombing Hezbollah leaders.
—Jennifer Hansler, CNN Money, 7 May 2026
The centers are also smarting from the expiration of $23 million in general fund dollars that were approved in 2022, according to Janelle Melohn with the National Alliance of Trauma Recovery Centers.
—Kate Wolffe, Sacbee.com, 5 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for smart
Cite this Entry
“Smart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smart. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smart
1 of 4 verb
1
: to cause or feel a sharp stinging pain
2
: to feel mental distress (as regret, resentment, or embarrassment)
smart
2 of 4 adjective1
: causing a sharp stinging sensation
2
: marked by forceful activity or vigorous strength
3
: brisk sense 1, spirited
a smart pace
6
7
a
: being a guided missile
a smart bomb
b
: operating by automation
a smart machine tool
smartly
adverb
smartness
noun
smart
3 of 4 adverb
: in a smart manner
smart
4 of 4 noun
: a smarting pain
especially
: a stinging pain in one small part of the body
Medical Definition
smart
intransitive verb
: to cause or be the cause or seat of a sharp poignant pain
rapid fatigue with burning and smarting of the conjunctiva—H. G. Armstrong
H. G. Armstrong
also
: to feel or have such a pain
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
