smart money
Americannoun
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money invested or wagered by experienced investors or bettors.
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such knowledgeable investors or bettors.
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Law. punitive or exemplary damages.
noun
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money bet or invested by experienced gamblers or investors, esp with inside information
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the gamblers or investors themselves
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money paid in order to extricate oneself from an unpleasant situation or agreement, esp from military service
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money paid by an employer to someone injured while working for him
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law damages awarded to a plaintiff where the wrong was aggravated by fraud, malice, etc
Etymology
Origin of smart money
First recorded in 1685–95
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.
But for the first time, it’s starting to look like smart money isn’t laughing at the idea anymore — it’s quietly sliding chips across the table.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 20, 2026
Those trades are often closely watched by market participants seeking to track the so-called smart money.
From Barron's • Feb. 27, 2026
If he is going to move clear of Australia's Margaret Court in terms of all-time major victories, the smart money goes on Djokovic doing it at Melbourne Park.
From BBC • Jan. 27, 2026
“The smart money is rotating into sectors where valuations actually reflect fundamentals. Small and midcaps are trading near decade lows relative to Big Tech while earnings growth is only marginally lower,” he said.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 21, 2026
The smart money was on half a century, at the outside.
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
