smart

1 of 2

verb

smarted; smarting; smarts

intransitive verb

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

b

: to pay a heavy or stinging penalty

would have to smart for this foolishness

smart

2 of 2

noun

1

: a smarting pain

especially : a stinging local pain

2

: poignant grief or remorse

… was not the sort to get over smarts.

—Sir Winston Churchill

3

smarts plural, slang : intelligence, know-how

Synonyms of smart

Verb

• hurt
• ache

Noun

• tingle
• pain
• ache
• pang
• stitch
• sting
• prick

Examples of smart in a Sentence

Verb

Her eyes were smarting from the smoke.

the injection only smarted for a moment

Noun

the toddler was whining over the smart from the cut

she had the smarts to start college at age 16, but perhaps not the emotional maturity

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

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

Noun

White admires Zuckerberg’s smarts, competitive instincts, and ability to run a full day of meetings on time. —Sean Gregory, Time, 26 May 2026

Rain forced the tournament to be held indoors at the Longfellow Wellesley Tennis & Health Club, which is where Vu fought for every point against Delima, who was a dangerous combination of speed, smarts, and power on the court. —Justin Barrasso, Boston Herald, 25 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English smerten, from Old English smeortan; akin to Old High German smerzan to pain

First Known Use

Verb

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing smart

• as smart as a whip
• get smart with
• play (it) smart
• smart alec
• smart aleck
• smart as a whip
• smart card
• smart cookie
• smart drug
• smart money
• smart-mouthed
• smart move
• smart off
• smart phone
• street-smart
• the smart set
• whip-smart

Rhymes for smart

• art
• cart
• carte
• chart
• dart
• fart
• haart
• mart
• part
• start
• tart
• apart

Kids Definition

smart

1 of 4 verb

ˈsmärt 

1

: to cause or feel a sharp stinging pain

2

: to feel mental distress (as regret, resentment, or embarrassment)

smart

2 of 4 adjective

1

: causing a sharp stinging sensation

2

: marked by forceful activity or vigorous strength

3

: brisk sense 1, spirited

a smart pace

4

a

: mentally alert : bright

a smart teacher

b

: sharp in scheming : shrewd

5

a

: witty, clever

b

informal : impudent, flippant

6

a

: stylish or elegant in dress or appearance

b

: worldly-wise, knowing

c

: fashionable

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

ˈsmärt 

: 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

also : to feel or have such a pain