as in neatly
in a strikingly neat and trim manner
the smartly dressed scouts marched at the head of the Memorial Day parade
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 smartly
Today she is dressed smartly in a navy-blue pantsuit beneath her wool camel-hair coat.
—
Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
That plan ultimately goes awry, with Margot surviving the attack, smartly staged in a way that doesn’t completely ratchet up the violent tension, keeping the audience in an appropriate level of comfort while not compromising the narrative.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Bathrooms are smartly designed to fit large shower-baths into a relatively compact space; tiling is dark and mirrored with pleasing gold accents.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
The rear of the speaker is smartly curved to better hug your body when it is slung over your shoulder, too.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
The trailer’s slick wordplay and motherly imagery smartly play on both Latto’s Big Mama persona and the pregnancy rumors that have emerged over the past couple of months.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2026
Named after Argentine slang for the protein powder and pill cocktail that gym bros use to bulk up fast, and nodding to their own rapid rise, PAPOTA smartly distilled newfound fame into self-critique.
—Maria Nenet Barrios, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
The bed itself offers about 35 cubic feet of volume, plus a 7-cubic-foot frunk (front trunk)—not cavernous, but smartly designed and easily personalized.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Those who happen to wander close enough (or smartly follow the recommendation of the right post on social media) are roundly rewarded with an escape that feels at once impossibly old and startlingly new, totally obvious yet genius.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2026
Danielle Parker, CBS News, 2 Apr. 2026
That plan ultimately goes awry, with Margot surviving the attack, smartly staged in a way that doesn’t completely ratchet up the violent tension, keeping the audience in an appropriate level of comfort while not compromising the narrative.
—David John Chávez, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2026
Bathrooms are smartly designed to fit large shower-baths into a relatively compact space; tiling is dark and mirrored with pleasing gold accents.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
The rear of the speaker is smartly curved to better hug your body when it is slung over your shoulder, too.
—Mark Knapp, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
The trailer’s slick wordplay and motherly imagery smartly play on both Latto’s Big Mama persona and the pregnancy rumors that have emerged over the past couple of months.
—Kyle Denis, Billboard, 20 Mar. 2026
Named after Argentine slang for the protein powder and pill cocktail that gym bros use to bulk up fast, and nodding to their own rapid rise, PAPOTA smartly distilled newfound fame into self-critique.
—Maria Nenet Barrios, Pitchfork, 19 Mar. 2026
The bed itself offers about 35 cubic feet of volume, plus a 7-cubic-foot frunk (front trunk)—not cavernous, but smartly designed and easily personalized.
—Kevin Sintumuang, Outside, 18 Mar. 2026
Those who happen to wander close enough (or smartly follow the recommendation of the right post on social media) are roundly rewarded with an escape that feels at once impossibly old and startlingly new, totally obvious yet genius.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 14 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smartly
Adverb
-
None of those things fit neatly into a 30-second video clip.—
Rep. Nick Menapace,
Hartford Courant,
8 Apr. 2026
-
This rhetoric neatly aligns with choice feminism, but the conversation feels similarly labyrinthine.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Fidesz, whose popularity dropped sharply in the aftermath of the passage of the new constitution, was reëlected with parliamentary super-majorities in the next two elections, in 2014 and 2018, despite receiving less than fifty per cent of the vote.—
Kapil Komireddi,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
-
The culprit is volatile oil and jet fuel prices, which have spiked sharply since the war in the Middle East began and fighting near the narrow Strait of Hormuz created a chokepoint for global oil supplies.—
Rio Yamat,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For the most part, royal families dress very carefully; in keeping with their formal dress codes, their wardrobe choices are usually thoughtfully selected, with subtle theming or references, as well as more overt tributes via color or jewelry choice.—
Katherine J Igoe,
InStyle,
5 Apr. 2026
-
Some of the imagery seen by Ferreira’s character is genuine content culled from online, carefully trimmed.—
Mark Olsen,
Twin Cities,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smartly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smartly. Accessed 10 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
