verb

smarten

SMAHTN

Smarten (verb) means to make someone or something look neater or more presentable. Example: “He smartened himself up before the job interview.”

verb

To make someone or something look neater or more presentable.

"He smartened himself up before the job interview."

To add digital or computerized features to something.

"The company plans to smarten its entire product line with app connectivity."

How to use smarten

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo tidy up or upgrade something to be smarter or neater.

Common pairings

smarten up smarten oneself up

Word forms

smartened past tense, smartens singular

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Fill the gap

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He _____ himself up before the job interview.

Etymology

Formed from "smart" plus the verb-forming suffix "-en," meaning "to make smart."

Rhymes for smarten

marten Maarten kindergarten

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Frequently asked questions

What does “smarten” mean?

The word “smarten” means to make someone or something look neater or more presentable. In plain terms, to tidy up or upgrade something to be smarter or neater.

How do you pronounce “smarten”?

“Smarten” is pronounced SMAHTN (/ˈsmɑːt(ə)n/ in IPA).

How do you use “smarten” in a sentence?

Here is “smarten” used in a sentence: “He smartened himself up before the job interview.”

What part of speech is “smarten”?

“Smarten” is a verb.

How many meanings does “smarten” have?

“Smarten” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to make someone or something look neater or more presentable.