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Synonyms

smarts

British  
/ smɑːts /

plural noun

  1. slang know-how, intelligence, or wits

    street smarts

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

While Borthwick has generally been wedded to speed and breakdown smarts in his back row, there is the option of adding some bosh.

From BBC • Mar. 9, 2026

Street smarts may hold the upper hand for now.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026

It’s essentially the difference between book smarts and street smarts.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026

If the player payroll is just about the same for every team, then success would depend in large part on the smarts of ownership and management.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

The goslings had made plenty of short flights, but a migration would require real strength and smarts.

From "The Wild Robot Protects" by Peter Brown