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• smart
  smart

  verb (used without object)

  to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound.
• Smart
  Smart

  noun

  Christopher. 1722–71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758–63, published 1939). He was confined (1756–63) for religious mania and died in a debtors' prison

smart

American  

[smahrt] / smɑrt /

verb (used without object)

• smarts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• smarted,
  past participle,  past
• smarting
  present participle

1. to be a source of sharp, local, and usually superficial pain, as a wound.

   Synonyms:

   sting, hurt, pain

2. to be the cause of a sharp, stinging pain, as an irritating application, a blow, etc.

3. to feel a sharp, stinging pain, as in a wound.

4. to suffer keenly from wounded feelings.

   She smarted under their criticism.

5. to feel shame or remorse or to suffer in punishment or in return for something.

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verb (used with object)

• smarts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• smarted,
  past participle,  past
• smarting
  present participle

1. to cause a sharp pain to or in.

adjective

• smarter,
  comparative
• smartest
  superlative

1. quick or prompt in action, as persons.

   Synonyms:

   active, alert, agile, nimble, lively

2. having or showing quick intelligence or ready mental capability.

   a smart student.

   Synonyms:

   adroit, expert, sharp, bright

   Antonyms:

   stupid

3. shrewd or sharp, as a person in dealing with others or as in business dealings.

   a smart businessman.

   Synonyms:

   adept, cunning

4. clever, witty, or readily effective, as a speaker, speech, rejoinder, etc.

5. dashingly or impressively neat or trim in appearance, as persons, dress, etc.

   Synonyms:

   showy, pretentious, spruce

6. socially elegant; sophisticated or fashionable.

   the smart crowd.

   Synonyms:

   chic

7. saucy; pert.

   smart remarks.

8. sharply brisk, vigorous, or active.

   to walk with smart steps.

   Synonyms:

   energetic

9. sharply severe, as a blow, stroke, etc.

10. sharp or keen.

    a smart pain.

    Synonyms:

    penetrating, poignant

11. Digital Technology.

    1. (of a machine, system, etc.) equipped with electronic control mechanisms, software programs, etc., and capable of remote, automated, and seemingly intelligent operation.

       smart copiers;

       smart weapons;

       a smart thermostat.

    2. equipped with microprocessors, as for data processing, internet access, etc. (usually used in combination).

       a smartphone;

       a smartwatch.

12. having properties that can be changed in response to stimuli or environmental conditions; self-regulating.

    smart fabrics that respond to temperature or light.

13. Older Use. considerable; fairly large.

adverb

1. in a smart manner; smartly.

noun

1. a sharp local pain, usually superficial, as from a wound, blow, or sting.

2. keen mental suffering, as from wounded feelings, affliction, grievous loss, etc.

3. Slang. smarts, intelligence; common sense.

   He never had the smarts to use his opportunities.

smart ¹ British  

/ smɑːt /

adjective

1. astute, as in business; clever or bright

2. quick, witty, and often impertinent in speech

   a smart talker

3. fashionable; chic

   a smart hotel

4. well-kept; neat

5. causing a sharp stinging pain

6. vigorous or brisk

7. dialect considerable or numerous

   a smart price

8. (of systems) operating as if by human intelligence by using automatic computer control

9. (of a projectile or bomb) containing a device that allows it to be guided to its target

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verb

1. to feel, cause, or be the source of a sharp stinging physical pain or keen mental distress

   a nettle sting smarts

   he smarted under their abuse

2. (often foll by for) to suffer a harsh penalty

noun

1. a stinging pain or feeling

adverb

1. in a smart manner

Smart ² British  

/ smɑːt /

noun

1. Christopher. 1722–71, British poet, author of A Song to David (1763) and Jubilate Agno (written 1758–63, published 1939). He was confined (1756–63) for religious mania and died in a debtors' prison

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• smartness
  noun
• supersmartness
  noun
• smartish
  adjective
• supersmart
  adjective
• ultrasmart
  adjective
• unsmart
  adjective
• unsmarting
  adjective
• smartingly
  adverb
• smartly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• smarter
  comparative
• smartest
  superlative

Participles

• smarting
  present
• smarted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• smart
  simple
• smarts
  simple
• have smarted
  perfect
• has smarted
  perfect
• am smarting
  progressive
• are smarting
  progressive
• is smarting
  progressive
• have been smarting
  perfect progressive
• has been smarting
  perfect progressive

Past

• smarted
  simple
• had smarted
  perfect
• was smarting
  progressive
• were smarting
  progressive
• had been smarting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will smart
  simple
• will have smarted
  perfect
• will be smarting
  progressive
• will have been smarting
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of smart

First recorded before 1050; Middle English (verb) smerten, Old English -smeortan (only in the compound fyrsmeortende “painful like fire”), cognate with Old High German smerzan ( German schmerzen ); (adjective) Middle English smerte, smart “quick, prompt, sharp,” originally, “biting, smarting,” late Old English smearte, akin to the verb; (adverb and noun) Middle English smerte, derivative of the adjective

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Explanation

Although smart is most often used to describe someone who is intelligent, you can also call someone a smart, chic dresser or a smart, sassy wisecracker. Smart often implies something good, but not always. If someone cautions you, "Don't be smart with me!" — they are demanding that you stop acting so bold and rude. As a verb, if something smarts, then it hurts. If your knee smarts, then you probably whacked it. However, if someone says that you are a smart dresser or a smart thinker, you can take those comments as compliments.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

smart Smart smarter smartest smarts smarted smarting

South Korea will double spending on AI and semiconductors in 2027 to a record high, the president said Monday, pledging to use the technology to turn the military into a "smart, elite force".

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

He elaborated in his news conference when asked by BBC Sport if he would have to tell his players to be more smart, going forward.

From BBC ● Nov. 1, 2026

The shareholders can pick and choose between the AI giants, rather than leave their choices to Nvidia Chief Executive Jensen Huang, smart as he is.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

“This is not only the smart thing to do. This is the right thing to do. … It’s key to our future as Californians, whether we’re tribal or not.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2026

“Because curiosity is the parent of understanding! What do smart animals do for anyone? They walk around in love with their own brains. But curious animals… they are in love with everyone and everything else.”

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

Smart devices which are connected to the internet can include fridges, central heating, and even washing machines.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

There is, however, one valuable role the transfer portal plays for Smart: It’s the quickest way to thin out his roster.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 1, 2026

Smart travelers should also shop around for the best price on a hotel or flight before making a decision, and book one to three months in advance.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 28, 2026

As a child, Bryan attended camps run by Georgia head coach Kirby Smart.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 26, 2026

"Smart, yes. Empathic, absolutely. But the other children performed miracles. At least, so you all claim."

From "The Inquisitor's Tale" by Adam Gidwitz

It means he will want the fiery Shelton to play smarter - and perhaps calmer in certain moments - to maximise his weapons.

From BBC ● Nov. 2, 2026

It’s a phenomenon known as “recursive self-improvement,” or RSI, which roughly translates to AI building smarter AI.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 31, 2026

“Voters are smarter than that. People in the coalition see these tactics and are tired of them too.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 23, 2026

Years later, I’ve become a more confident cook and, I think, a smarter host.

From Salon ● Oct. 20, 2026

I had to battle for my place at the top every single season, but I made it because I was stronger and fencing smarter.

From "Proud" by Ibtihaj Muhammad

“Donating appreciated stock is one of the smartest moves a charitably minded investor can make,” David Kassir, a managing director at Manna Wealth Management, told MarketWatch over email.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 19, 2026

He told the court Noah was "the most intelligent human being I have ever met", while Charlie said he was "the smartest kid, always asking questions".

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

Video creator Yotam Katzor, 32, worried about what would happen when humans were no longer the smartest thing on Earth.

From Barron's ● Sep. 15, 2026

Hill added that Scott became known as “aloof” and wanting to be “the smartest person in the room.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026

It had taken the smartest man alive to defeat it, and she was surrounded by the not-smartest people alive.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

New Zealand's smarts initially defused the fire and fury inside the cauldron, however.

From BBC ● Sep. 5, 2026

He first impressed Sayre as a law clerk 20 years ago for his smarts and “because I spoke Spanish and he didn’t know many people of Middle Eastern heritage who did.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026

Because the generative-AI smarts will just be there, through a “Hey Siri” or a swipe down from the top, Siri AI will open the door for anyone who hasn’t bothered to download ChatGPT or Claude.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

Winmill said his bets rely on smarts at the tops of companies.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 9, 2026

But Petey had smarter smarts than the smartest students at Fry High.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

"The media world is unrecognisable from the one he stepped into seventy years ago and the decision to scrap plans to reunite his empire must have smarted."

From Reuters ● Sep. 21, 2023

There was much speculation about his state of mind, whether the scars of the first defeat still smarted.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2023

It must have smarted that he was the only one of the "I Love Lucy" four principals not nominated for an acting Emmy for the show.

From Salon ● Jan. 2, 2022

When such flourishes distressed Obama advisers, Mr. Biden — who had been his own boss for decades — smarted at having his political intuition questioned or overruled, former aides say.

From New York Times ● May 11, 2020

They smarted from the weight and the grooves that the block had dug into my skin.

From "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago

Americans accustomed to free and easy returns are now smarting from surprise fees, shorter return windows, delayed refunds and more questions about their reasons for sending products back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 9, 2026

Drake is smarting, and he spreads that hurt across more than an hour in the trilogy’s marquee album “Iceman.”

From Salon ● May 21, 2026

Ireland come into the match smarting from their 36-14 loss to France in their tournament opener last week.

From Barron's ● Feb. 12, 2026

It clearly left him smarting and he's not had a good word to say about wind power since.

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2025

Leaves fell around them in flurries, stinging and smarting when they touched Tristran's skin, cutting and slicing at his clothes.

From "Stardust" by Neil Gaiman

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Related Words

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