smarten

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"They can fix it," one Whitehall source says, but "they have to realise they have caused it and smarten up how they make decisions".

From BBC • Jul. 2, 2025

“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 • Oct. 7, 2022

“I would like to see people smarten up so that we don’t have to have a mandate in the first place,” she said.

From New York Times • Dec. 27, 2021

Of course that goes for Billie Dawn, the ex-showgirl who bubbles along on Brock’s arm without a care in her head until Brock hires Verrall to smarten her up.

From Washington Post • Sep. 27, 2018

“The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting.”

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling