smarten

verb

smart·​en ˈsmär-tᵊn How to pronounce smarten (audio)
smartened; smartening ˈsmärt-niŋ How to pronounce smarten (audio)
ˈsmär-tᵊn-iŋ

transitive verb

: to make smart or smarter
especially : spruce
usually used with up

intransitive verb

: to smarten oneself
used with up

Examples of smarten in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web For footwear, the only way to dress and impress in formal summer weddings is via tuxedo shoes, and these monk straps in glossy leather finish will easily smarten you up while hitting the nail on dressy formal attire. Ted Stafford, Men's Health, 30 June 2023 Blazers can smarten up even the simplest of looks. Alice Cary, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2021 Starting November 27, smarten up your home with savings on the Google Nest Hub ($49.98, originally $89.98, walmart.com), which features a seven-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, and can do everything from tell you the weather to stream your favorite shows. Julianne Ross, CNN Underscored, 25 Nov. 2020 The iSmartgate Pro is a kit that will smarten up your existing garage door opener. Jamie Kim, Good Housekeeping, 15 Nov. 2022 The subtle, pink-hued elixir is housed inside a handsome chiseled glass bottle that is sure to smarten up any home bar. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 July 2022 This will not only smarten up the tree but, more importantly, also leave a small, clean wound that will heal more quickly. Washington Post, 7 July 2021 The real question is can NBA owners smarten up and become less greedy and give the finalists more than two months off before the start of a new season. Los Angeles Times, 5 June 2021 Among some of the other ways Kohler is attempting to smarten up your bathroom: ► Smart toilet. Brett Molina, USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smarten.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1782, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of smarten was in 1782

Dictionary Entries Near smarten

Cite this Entry

“Smarten.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smarten. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smarten

verb
smart·​en ˈsmärt-ᵊn How to pronounce smarten (audio)
smartened; smartening ˈsmärt-niŋ How to pronounce smarten (audio)
-ᵊn-iŋ
1
: to make smart or smarter
especially : spruce, freshen
smartened themselves for the party
2
: to make or become more alert or informed
smarten up, before it's too late

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