smarten

[ smahr-tn ]

verb (used with object)

1. to make more trim or spruce; improve in appearance (usually followed by up ):

   Try to smarten up your outfit.

2. to make brisker, as a pace.
3. to sharpen the judgment or broaden the experience of; educate (usually followed by up ):

   Someone has to smarten him up about dealing with people.

verb phrase

1. 1. to groom oneself:

      to smarten up before dinner.

   2. to become aware of one's mistakes, shortcomings, etc., and make efforts to correct them:

      If you don't smarten up, you're going to be out of a job.

smarten

/ ˈsmɑːtən /

verb

1. intr to make oneself neater
2. tr to make quicker or livelier

Word History and Origins

Origin of smarten¹

First recorded in 1805–15; smart + -en ¹

Example Sentences

“They’re just so good on the power play. So let’s just smarten up in that area.”

From Los Angeles Times

In Jay-Z’s song 2021 hit “U Don’t Know,” he raps, “That’s another difference that’s between me and them / Heh, I smarten up, open the market up / One million, two million, three million, four / In 18 months, 80 million more / Now add that number up with the one I said before”

From Los Angeles Times

Part of the report published already last week also laid out a "game changing" blueprint for an evolved financial system where central bank digital currencies and tokenised banking assets speed up and smarten up transactions and global trade.

From Reuters

Maybe when he got to be ten, like me, he’d smarten up.

From Literature

“Because of what he did to us, in his mind he had to smarten up. He didn’t get away with it,” Katrina said.

From Los Angeles Times