Adjective Poodles are said to be smart dogs. That was a smart investment. He gave her a smart answer. Verb Her eyes were smarting from the smoke. the injection only smarted for a moment Noun the toddler was whining over the smart from the cut she had the smarts to start college at age 16, but perhaps not the emotional maturity Adverb He plays smart and the fans appreciate that. I dress smarter than she does. Play it smart during the contract negotiations and you'll get more vacation time.See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Nor, honestly, does Smart Brevity seem to care about being smart. Colin Dickey, The New Republic, 15 Sep. 2022 Patricia acknowledged Tuesday that running the ball just for the sake of it isn’t smart. Ben Volin, BostonGlobe.com, 13 Sep. 2022 And not one of them was smart enough, or had guts enough, to make Hammon the first female head coach of a men’s team in a major professional sport. Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2022 The show's writers are too smart, and know these characters too well to go down the same paths over and over again. Evan Romano, Men's Health, 9 Sep. 2022 But brands would be smart to absorb any extra costs for the long-term customer loyalty and payoff in a market that’s estimated to reach $100 billion, Veksler says. Paige Mcglauflin, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2022 Creasman said being seen as a climate leader is smart if Newsom has national ambitions. Taryn Luna, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2022 But country, when done well, is actually really smart. Chris Willman, Variety, 30 Aug. 2022 Meanwhile, its Echo devices, which house the voice assistant Alexa, have dominated the U.S. smart speaker market, accounting for roughly 70% of sales, according to estimates by Consumer Intelligence Research Partners. Haleluya Hadero, oregonlive, 23 Aug. 2022
Verb
Google’s sustainability efforts span its offerings, ranging from machine learning to help cool its data centers to smart thermostats that conserve home energy. Matt Whittaker, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 And can smart regulation ensure companies are providing equal opportunities to all potential employees? Kristen Bellstrom, Fortune, 10 Nov. 2021 Why would smart people follow their leaders in unknown, possibly risky terrain, when even those leaders are unsure about the smartest way ahead? Jean-francois Cousin, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2021 Everything from cell phones to smart watches to navigation systems on cars, commercial planes, and cargo ships relies on GPS. Sarah Scoles, Wired, 17 June 2021 Prime Day is one of the best times to snag steep discounts on tech products, from streaming devices to smart gadgets to wearable accessories. Alex Warner, PEOPLE.com, 22 June 2021 Options range from simple bulbs that slot into regular fixtures to smart light strips that can be installed in unlikely spots. Simon Hill, Wired, 15 Apr. 2021 Upgrade to smart home lighting with this starter kit, which includes four white and colour ambient bulbs and a Hue home hub to voice control your lights. Fiona Tapp, CNN Underscored, 13 Oct. 2020 One pundit insists that newspapers, radio and television didn’t destroy civilization, and neither will smart phones. John Horgan, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2020
Noun
Humanity has never come up with a more perfect instrument than social media to separate the smart from the dense, the mature from the childish and the self-aware from the self-absorbed. Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, 12 Mar. 2022 New York smart tells us that this situation and moment are not about the facts. Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2021 Carl ended up teaching the smartest of the smart at the Naval Academy for the Trident Scholars, where his maxim formed a part of the curriculum. Ellevate, Forbes, 24 May 2021 Emsisoft analyst Brett Callow called AXA's decision smart, noting that some organizations seem more inclined to pay ransom if the money isn't coming from their own pockets. Frank Bajak, Star Tribune, 6 May 2021 Anthes is bullish on the possibilities of the smart. Max Holleran, The New Republic, 3 Dec. 2020 Apple might finally release AirTags, a coin-size smart-tracker that relies on Apple's iCloud network to help users locate missing items. Irina Ivanova, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2020 Now, with Democrats running to deny Trump a second term, on a ticket to be headed by former Vice President Joe Biden, a great debate rages in the party over the extent of Trump's political smarts and acumen. Naomi Lim, Washington Examiner, 29 Apr. 2020 Under the hood, Apple has stuffed the computing smarts of its flagship 6.1-inch iPhone 11 into the SE's 4.7-inch body, making it arguably the most powerful budget device on the market. Samantha Murphy Kelly, CNN, 25 Apr. 2020
Adverb
The stand has a sleek design made from thin but sturdy fiberglass, pieced together in a smart-looking Z-shape. Thomas Hindle, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Apr. 2022 The smart-looking bag is made from a two-tone high-tech fabric with a clean design. Adam Morganstern, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2021 The advent of 5G also boosted demand for more powerful server chips to handle cloud computing, artificial intelligence and smart-driving technologies. Takashi Mochizuki, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2021 Last year Honda launched its first-ever EV, the tiny, quirky yet aptly named ‘Honda e,’ while Mazda also debuted the smart-looking MX-30, its first electric crossover. Peter Lyon, Forbes, 29 June 2021 Oasis, in 1996, was Britain: slouchy, cynical, funny, smart-arsed, brash, but a bit sensitive and bookish underneath. Kyle Smith, National Review, 10 July 2021 And then there was the girl's pantsuit: a smart-looking ensemble composed of a single-button marigold jacket and a matching pair of oversized slacks that hit a couple of inches above the ankle. Rachel Epstein, Marie Claire, 1 June 2021 But here’s the thing: That’s exactly why training smart and consistently is so incredibly important. Carey Lohrenz, Forbes, 18 May 2021 This is a smart-looking router that feels well built. Mark Sparrow, Forbes, 15 Apr. 2021 See More
Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English smert causing pain, from Old English smeart; akin to Old English smeortan
Verb
Middle English smerten, from Old English smeortan; akin to Old High German smerzan to pain
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 7