1
as in intelligent
having or showing a practical cleverness or judgment
a smart investment that has really paid off
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clever
having or showing quickness of mind
a smart child who will do well in school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in witty
given to or marked by mature intelligent humor
something one sees so rarely on TV: a smart sitcom
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in elegant
being strikingly neat and trim in style or appearance
dressed in their smart new uniforms, the cadets proudly paraded around the grounds of the military school
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in stylish
being in the latest or current fashion
boutiques specializing in smart clothes for cosmopolitan women
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in cute
making light of something usually regarded as serious or sacred
just joked and made smart comments during the ceremony
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
7
as in sophisticated
having a wide and refined knowledge of the world especially from personal experience
a novelist who got much of the material for his works by hanging out with the smart set
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in tingle
a sharp unpleasant sensation usually felt in some specific part of the body
the toddler was whining over the smart from the cut
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sense
smarts plural
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems
she had the smarts to start college at age 16, but perhaps not the emotional maturity
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in smartly
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
smart people
a smart move
smart phones
a smart girl
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of smart
cleveland, 24 Sep. 2022
The stand has a sleek design made from thin but sturdy fiberglass, pieced together in a smart-looking Z-shape.
—Thomas Hindle, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022
Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 20 June 2025
But beyond price and performance, the factory owner is also looking to develop a smart and resilient supply chain, starting with machinery.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 June 2025
Andrew Rice, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
While those defeats against Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain both smarted, their financial ramifications differ wildly.
—Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
Learn from that nurse; don’t try to upstage her with your smarts and authority.
—Leon E. Moores, Md, Dsc, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smart
Adjective
Seats can be trimmed in a smart-looking gray wool blend, part of Volvo’s effort to eliminate leather use by 2030.
—cleveland, 24 Sep. 2022
The stand has a sleek design made from thin but sturdy fiberglass, pieced together in a smart-looking Z-shape.
—Thomas Hindle, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022
Verb
With Robert Shaw's Quint previously chomped to death and Richard Dreyfuss' Hooper too smart to return for sloppy seconds, the sequel follows the Brody clan (Roy Scheider's Martin, Lorraine Gary's Eileen, and not-so-little-anymore Michael and Sean).
—Chris Nashawaty, EW.com, 20 June 2025
But beyond price and performance, the factory owner is also looking to develop a smart and resilient supply chain, starting with machinery.
—Kate Nishimura, Sourcing Journal, 20 June 2025
Noun
Sir Ben Ainslie is smarting from a public sporting divorce from Sir Jim Ratcliffe, the British billionaire and part-owner of Manchester United.
—Andrew Rice, New York Times, 22 Apr. 2025
While those defeats against Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain both smarted, their financial ramifications differ wildly.
—Chris Weatherspoon, The Athletic, 20 Mar. 2025
Adverb
Cardellini is the essence of warmth and smarts, and Campbell Scott offers a commanding cameo as a snooty but not heartless food critic.
—Sheri Linden, HollywoodReporter, 8 May 2025
Learn from that nurse; don’t try to upstage her with your smarts and authority.
—Leon E. Moores, Md, Dsc, Forbes.com, 30 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smart
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smart
Adjective
-
Celebrate intelligent risk-taking, not just polished outcomes.—
Bill Fischer,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2025
-
Lucy’s colleagues refer to men like him—tall, handsome, in finance, intelligent, urbane—as unicorns.—
Katy Waldman,
New Yorker,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
Even the cleverest plans leave room for a little improvisation.—
Jack Lang,
New York Times,
22 June 2025
-
This clever deck box works overtime as a bench for additional seating.—
Clara McMahon,
People.com,
21 June 2025
Adjective
-
No, really — with her sharp and witty books like this one and The Partly-Cloudy Patriot, Vowell does for history what Neil deGrasse Tyson does for science.—
Brian Boone,
Vulture,
18 June 2025
-
He should also be credited for having the wittiest one-liner of the night.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
Auberge Tokito, which opened in April 2024, is an elegant Ryokan (Japanese-style restaurant with lodging facilities) in Tachikawa City on the outskirts of central Tokyo.—
Akiko Katayama,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
Beside skiing and yachting, tennis is one of its major concerns, and this season’s assortment includes the elegant Ellen blazer.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
These roomy parachute cargo pants are functional but stylish and—especially for Tokyo, a city known for being a street fashion hub.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2025
-
One of the biggest struggles of dressing for the summer heat is finding a pair of sandals that are both stylish and comfortable.—
Katie Decker-Jacoby,
StyleCaster,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
Amazon is stocked with tons of cute coin purses that capture the kawaii aesthetic of Japanese street style.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
25 June 2025
-
Pair this long-line padded sports bra crop tank with a pair of leggings for a cute athletic look.—
Nora Colomer
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
24 June 2025
Adjective
-
The capital is more sophisticated, the stakeholders are more educated and the businesses are becoming more resilient.—
Ian Shepherd,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
-
In a newer and more sophisticated twist, scammers are removing links altogether.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
28 June 2025
Verb
-
This would hurt even the most polished comedy or the most clockwork heist movie, let alone one that hopes to be both.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
26 June 2025
-
Jason Semler, principal with Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, said overall the new property tax system will benefit property owners but hurt local government funding.—
Alexandra Kukulka,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smart. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share