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
  • Her lower back had ached during dinner, and, sure enough, there was the tarnished rust of her period in her underwear.
    — Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Miguel Cabrera ached through his final years with the Tigers.
    — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 19 June 2026
Definition of ached
Verb
  • Olsen certainly hurt those around him, too, growing up, especially as his addiction spiraled and his platonic, romantic and familial relationships fell apart.
    — David Oliver, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Higher yields and rates, meanwhile, tend to hurt people who are borrowing money.
    — Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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