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smart

adj.
B1 Intermediate Oxford US //ˈsmɑɹt// UK //smˈɑːt// smart Archaic General-service Informal Slang

adj. having a clean, neat appearance or being very intelligent. You use this to describe someone who looks professional or someone who learns things quickly.

adj. characterised by quick intelligence or a neat, professional appearance. Often modified by 'very' or 'quite' and used to describe both mental capacity and physical presentation.


SIMPLE

You look very smart in your new suit.

CONTEXTUAL

The company is looking for smart, motivated graduates who can solve complex problems under pressure.

COMPLEX

While his academic record was only average, he possessed a smart, intuitive grasp of market trends that allowed him to outmanoeuvre more experienced competitors.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

Gradable adjective — often follows a linking verb like 'look' or 'seem'.

Pitfall

He is a smart person for his age.He is smart for his age.While 'smart person' is correct, learners often over-rely on the noun 'person' when the adjective alone is more natural in English.

Idioms2 entries

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