as in ached
to feel or cause physical pain
the injection only smarted for a moment
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarted
Verb
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Her joints ached, and her legs were frequently taut with fluid.—
Jason Liebowitz,
New Yorker,
6 Mar. 2026 -
When Jayson Tatum tore his right Achilles tendon against the New York Knicks in the playoffs last May, his family, friends and teammates ached for him.—
Jay King,
New York Times,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But attacks will hurt sectors such as tourism, aviation, and logistics.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
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When Georgia became a candidate to join the European Union in 2023 — which could help minimize shipping and import costs — the EU warned that the bills had hurt its chances.—
Lucy Maguire,
Vogue,
10 Mar. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Smarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarted. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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