SMARTENING Synonyms: 82 Similar and Opposite Words

smartening

verb

present participle of smarten

as in brightening

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smartening

Verb

Some also have other antiaging superstars like retinol, brightening ingredients like vitamin C, antioxidants like vitamin E, or niacinamide (a form of vitamin B3) to strengthen the skin barrier.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 23 Oct. 2026
There aren't any huge economic reports on the docket either, brightening the spotlight on the stream of earnings updates.

— Zev Fima,Kevin Stankiewicz, CNBC, 18 Oct. 2026

Definition of brightening

Verb

Trump’s discordant message with one of the top concerns voters are voicing ahead of the midterm elections has seemed heightened by his fixation on beautifying Washington and building a large ballroom at the White House.

— ABC News, ABC News, 21 Oct. 2026
Having the marram grass there will mean one less chore for the maintenance crews in the busy summer season as well as beautifying the entrance to the campground, Deerwester said.

— Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026

Definition of beautifying

Verb

Tourism picks up Whether arriving from within Chile or overseas, tourists are venturing into the remote, inhospitable areas of the Atacama to admire the millions of flowers adorning vast areas of the desert, stretching from the coast to the horizon.

— Nayara Batschke, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
Growing up thousands of miles away from the Hollywood sign in Bratislava, Slovakia, ADÉLA spent her childhood studying American pop stars and had posters of Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande and Britney Spears adorning her bedroom walls.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of adorning

Verb

Murres resemble penguins with dense, waterproof feathers that look like a tuxedo and function like a wetsuit — trapping a layer of air against their skin to keep them warm and dry, Boland said.

— Stephanie Zappelli, Sacbee.com, 22 Oct. 2026
The incident happened on July 9, trapping approximately 100 vehicles inside the garage.

— Adam Thompson, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of trapping

Verb

Social media adds its own momentum, with shoppers sharing seasonal store displays, decorating ideas and new Halloween collections.

— Ashley Lynch, Sacbee.com, 19 Oct. 2026
The National Retail Federation’s Halloween research documents the widening set of ways people participate, including decorating, dressing up and taking part in activities that reward early preparation.

— Ashley Lynch, Charlotte Observer, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of decorating

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Cite this Entry

Style

“Smartening.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smartening. Accessed 26 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of smartening

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

disparate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes