CEFR B1

smarten

verb

Meaning

To make oneself look neater, tidier, or more stylish, especially by putting on smarter clothes or adjusting one's appearance.

Examples

He quickly smartened himself up with a comb and a splash of water.
The students were asked to smarten their appearance for the school photograph.

Synonyms: tidy, neaten, groom, spruce up

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smarten (B1)

verb

Pronunciation: /ˈsmɑːtən/

Definition

To make oneself look neater, tidier, or more stylish, especially by putting on smarter clothes or adjusting one's appearance.

Examples

He quickly smartened himself up with a comb and a splash of water.
The students were asked to smarten their appearance for the school photograph.
She smartened her outfit by adding a belt and some jewelry.

How to Use smarten

smarten up (phrasal verb): To make oneself or one's appearance neater and tidier. — "He smartened up his room before his parents arrived."
smarten oneself up (phrasal verb): To improve one's appearance by becoming neater or more stylish. — "She took an hour to smarten herself up for the party."
smarten up [something] (phrasal verb): To improve the appearance or condition of something. — "The council decided to smarten up the town square."

Synonyms of smarten

Words with a similar meaning to smarten:

Antonyms of smarten

Words with the opposite meaning to smarten:

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