smarted

verb

past tense of smart
as in ached
to feel or cause physical pain the injection only smarted for a moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of smarted The abrupt booting smarted even more because no one from Decca had notified Dolly about the decision or given her a heads-up that the press would be calling. — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smarted
  1. ached
  2. hurt
Verb
  • The summer Nicole Fusaro went missing, her mother walked up and down Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood until her feet ached.
    — Danny Freeman, CNN Money, 11 Oct. 2026
  • My teeth ached and my pulse raced just walking into this everyday Halloween.
    — Justin Davidson, Curbed, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of ached
Verb
  • Jackdaw to have limited impact on energy bills The British government has faced criticism from some corners that its climate policies have hurt industry and energy security.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Among the report’s most concerning findings, enterprises often make software purchases that IT heads believe could hurt the organization.
    — Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of hurt

Browse Nearby Words

smart-assed
smarted
smarten
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smarted.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smarted. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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