smart
gb/smˈɑɹt/ us/smˈɑɹt/
A2
English
~ 2300
Senses
0 senses
adjective
A2
property
1
Intelligent and quick-thinking
Able to think and learn quickly; clever.
Usage pattern:
[someone] is smart
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'smart' with 'smartly dressed', which refers to appearance, not intelligence.
Synonyms
clever (Often suggests skill or ingenuity, sometimes playfully.)
|
bright (Commonly used for intelligent people, especially young ones.)
Antonyms
stupid (Direct opposite, meaning lacking intelligence.)
|
foolish (Implies poor judgment more than lack of intelligence.)
Collocations
smart decision
|smart idea
|smart student
|smart strategy
Themes
personality
|education
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- She’s one of the smartest people I know.
- That was a smart move in the negotiation.
- You have to be smart to solve this puzzle.
Learner examples
- My sister is very smart.
- He made a smart plan.
- That smart girl won the game.
adjective
A2
property
2
Stylish and well-dressed
Looking clean, neat, and fashionable.
Usage pattern:
[someone] looks smart
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this with 'smart' meaning 'intelligent', leading to misunderstandings in compliments.
Synonyms
stylish (Focuses on fashionable style.)
|
well-dressed (Emphasizes appropriate or high-quality clothing.)
Antonyms
scruffy (Messy or untidy in appearance.)
Collocations
smart clothes
|smart suit
|smart appearance
Themes
fashion
|daily life
|clothing
|daily_life
Examples
- He wore a smart suit to the meeting.
- You look very smart in that dress.
- The hotel staff were all dressed smartly.
Learner examples
- She looks smart today.
- He wears a smart jacket.
- They are smart for the party.
adjective
B1
property
3
Technologically advanced and connected
Using modern technology to do things automatically or connect to other devices.
Usage pattern:
smart [device]
Synonyms
intelligent (Used for devices, means able to process data and act accordingly.)
Antonyms
basic (Lacking advanced or automated features.)
Collocations
smart phone
|smart watch
|smart home
Themes
technology
|daily life
|daily_life
Examples
- I just bought a new smart TV.
- Smart homes can control lighting automatically.
- This is a smart thermostat that learns your habits.
Learner examples
- I have a smart phone.
- The smart watch tells me my heart rate.
- A smart home can turn off lights.
adjective
B2
property
4
Sharp stinging pain
Hurting with a quick, sharp feeling.
Synonyms
stinging (Emphasizes the sharp, burning quality of the pain.)
Collocations
smarting wound
|smart pain
Themes
health
|body
Examples
- The antiseptic made the cut smart for a few seconds.
- His eyes smarted from the smoke.
- The slap still smarted hours later.
Learner examples
- My eyes smart from the smoke.
- The cut smarts when I touch it.
- The medicine makes my skin smart.
Verb
B2
action
5
Feel sharp pain or distress
To feel a quick, sharp pain or bad feeling because of something.
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] smarts from [cause]
Synonyms
sting (Can refer to both physical and emotional pain, often briefer than 'smart'.)
Collocations
still smarting from
Themes
health
|emotions
Examples
- She was still smarting from his criticism.
- My arm smarts where I got the injection.
- He’s smarting over the defeat.
Learner examples
- My hand smarts after the burn.
- He smarts from losing the game.
- Her heart smarts from his words.
Grammar
Dictionary form
smart
IPA
GB/smˈɑɹt/
US/smˈɑɹt/
Syllables & stress
smart (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (smart)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: smart
- Comparative: smarter
- Superlative: smartest
Verb
- Base: smart
- 3rd Person Singular: smarts
- Present Participle: smarting
- Past: smarted
Word family
Forms
smarts
verb
smarting
verb
smarted
verb
smarter
adjective
smartest
adjective
Core family
smartly
adverb
Related words
smarten
verb
smartphone
noun B1
Negative and opposite forms
stupid
adjective A2
Advanced or less common
smartness
noun
Expressions
look smart
1/lˈʊk smˈɑɹt/
fixed phrase
Get neat and tidy quickly
Hurry to make yourself look clean and neat.
Examples
- You’d better look smart; the boss is coming!
- Soldiers must look smart during inspection.
play it smart
1/plˈeɪ ˈɪt smˈɑɹt/
idiom
informal
Act cleverly for best result
To make careful and clever choices to succeed.
Examples
- If you play it smart, you can get a better deal.
- She played it smart by saving money early.
smart aleck
1/smˈɑɹt ˈælˈɛk/
idiom
informal
Annoyingly clever person
Someone who talks as if they are very clever in a way that annoys people.
Examples
- Don’t be such a smart aleck in class.
- He’s always acting like a smart aleck around his friends.
smart money is on [something]
1/smˈɑɹt mˈʌni ˈɪz ˈɔn sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
Experts expect this result
People who know a lot think this will happen.
Examples
- The smart money is on her winning the race.
- The smart money is on an early election.