street smarts
Americanplural noun
Etymology
Origin of street smarts
First recorded in 1970–75
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.
It’s essentially the difference between book smarts and street smarts.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 28, 2026
It made me realize that I had book knowledge in a situation that demanded street smarts.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 30, 2025
Mr Erdogan entered the contest with many advantages: his street smarts, his common touch, and his control of 90% of the media here.
From BBC • May 28, 2023
But what he lacks in book learning he’s more than made up for in wisdom, humanity and street smarts.
From Los Angeles Times • May 4, 2023
Even Bodega with his street smarts and cunning lacked what Nazario had.
From "Bodega Dreams" by Ernesto Quinonez
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.
