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look sharp

Idioms

Get moving, be alert, as in The coach told the team they would have to look sharp if they wanted to win. This colloquial expression, dating from the early 1700s, originally meant “to keep a strict watch” but acquired its present sense in the early 1800s.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

That disparity in performance between food and fashion will disappoint investors who hoped M&S “had finally cracked the right formula to look smart with clothing,” AJ Bell markets head Dan Coatsworth wrote.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 8, 2026

Strategy issued the shares that financed the Bitcoin purchases at a relatively low premium by its standards, Vitanza and Navarette added, but the moves will look smart if Bitcoin soars to record highs.

From Barron's • Dec. 8, 2025

In 2025, that wager made Allaire look smart.

From MarketWatch • Nov. 14, 2025

The donations made "a big difference," helping her "look smart for big events and the campaign trail," Reeves said.

From BBC • Sep. 23, 2024

“You look smart in your new clothes,” I managed to say.

From "The Bridge Home" by Padma Venkatraman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023