Beautiful vs. Smart — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 31, 2023
Beautiful pertains to aesthetic appeal and attractiveness, while Smart relates to intelligence, cleverness, or stylishness.
Difference Between Beautiful and Smart
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Beautiful is an adjective that primarily describes something pleasing to the senses, especially to the sight. It often refers to things that evoke feelings of admiration or awe because of their aesthetics. Smart, conversely, has a primary meaning connected to intelligence or quick thinking.
When describing a person, calling them beautiful is commenting on their physical appearance or their pleasing qualities. When someone is referred to as smart, the focus is on their intellectual abilities or their quick-witted nature.
Beautiful can also be used more broadly to describe experiences, sounds, or feelings that are deeply satisfying. Smart, besides intelligence, can also be used to describe someone who is well-dressed or stylish in appearance.
Hence, while both words are adjectives, their spheres of usage and implications differ considerably.
Comparison Chart
Primary Meaning
Aesthetic appeal or attractiveness.
Intelligence or cleverness.
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Secondary Usage
Pleasing experiences or feelings.
Stylishness in appearance or attire.
Typical Context
Art, nature, physical appearance.
Academics, decision-making, fashion.
Subjective/Ojective
Subjective (based on personal preferences).
Can be both (IQ is objective; cleverness is subjective).
Examples of Association
Scenery, art, face, music.
Decision, solution, attire, wit.
Compare with Definitions
Beautiful
Pleasing to the senses.
The sunset was a beautiful sight.
Smart
Stylish or elegant in dress or appearance.
He looked smart in his new suit.
Beautiful
Wonderful; very pleasing or satisfying.
The vacation was a beautiful escape.
Smart
Clever in problem-solving.
That was a smart solution to the challenge.
Beautiful
Possessing qualities that give great pleasure or satisfaction.
Her voice has a beautiful tone.
Smart
Quick or prompt in action.
He made a smart decision in the nick of time.
Beautiful
Delighting the aesthetic sense or refined taste.
That painting is truly beautiful.
Smart
Characterized by sharp pain or discomfort.
The wound began to smart after applying the medicine.
Beautiful
Excellent of its kind.
It was a beautiful performance.
Smart
(of a person) clean, tidy, and well dressed
You look very smart
Beautiful
Having qualities that delight or appeal to the senses and often the mind.
Smart
Having or showing a quick-witted intelligence
If he was that smart he would never have been tricked
Beautiful
Excellent; wonderful
Hit a beautiful shot from the tee.
Smart
Quick; brisk
He set off at a smart pace
Beautiful
Used to express approval or delight.
Smart
(of part of the body) feel a sharp stinging pain
Her legs were scratched and smarting
Beautiful
Attractive and possessing beauty.
Anyone who has ever met her thought she was absolutely beautiful.
There's a beautiful lake by the town.
Smart
Sharp stinging pain
The smart of the recent cuts
Beautiful
Good, admirable.
He was a beautiful person; he would drop everything to help you.
You've done a beautiful thing today.
Smart
Intelligence; acumen
I don't think I have the smarts for it
Beautiful
(of the weather) Pleasant; clear.
It's beautiful outside, let's go for a walk.
Smart
Having or showing intelligence; bright.
Beautiful
Well executed.
The skater performed a beautiful axel.
Smart
Canny and shrewd in dealings with others
A smart negotiator.
Beautiful
Someone who is beautiful. Can be used as a term of address.
The man was faithful to his wife, ignoring the many blonde beautifuls who surrounded him wherever he went.
Hey, beautiful!
Smart
Amusingly clever; witty
A smart quip.
A lively, smart conversation.
Beautiful
Having the qualities which constitute beauty; pleasing to the sight or the mind.
A circle is more beautiful than a square; a square is more beautiful than a parallelogram.
Smart
Impertinent; insolent
That's enough of your smart talk.
Beautiful
Delighting the senses or exciting intellectual or emotional admiration;
A beautiful child
Beautiful country
A beautiful painting
A beautiful theory
A beautiful party
Smart
Energetic or quick in movement
A smart pace.
Beautiful
Aesthetically pleasing
Smart
Fashionable; elegant
A smart suit.
A smart restaurant.
The smart set.
Beautiful
(of weather) highly enjoyable;
What a beautiful day
Smart
Capable of making adjustments that resemble those resulting from human decisions, chiefly by means of electronic sensors and computer technology
Smart missiles.
Smart machines.
Smart
To cause a sharp, usually superficial, stinging pain
The slap delivered to my face smarted.
Smart
To be the location of such a pain
The incision on my leg smarts.
Smart
To feel such a pain.
Smart
To suffer acutely, as from mental distress, wounded feelings, or remorse
"No creature smarts so little as a fool" (Alexander Pope).
Smart
Sharp pain or anguish
The smart of the wound.
Smart
Smarts(Slang) Intelligence; expertise
A reporter with a lot of smarts.
Smart
(intransitive) To hurt or sting.
After being hit with a pitch, the batter exclaimed "Ouch, my arm smarts!"
Smart
(transitive) To cause a smart or sting in.
Smart
(intransitive) To feel a pungent pain of mind; to feel sharp pain or grief; be punished severely; to feel the sting of evil.
Smart
Exhibiting social ability or cleverness.
Smart
(informal) Exhibiting intellectual knowledge, such as that found in books.
Smart
Equipped with intelligent behaviour (digital/computer technology).
Smart car
Smart
Good-looking; well dressed; fine; fashionable.
A smart outfit
You look smart in that business suit.
Smart
Cleverly shrewd and humorous in a way that may be rude and disrespectful.
He became tired of his daughter's sarcasm and smart remarks.
Don't get smart with me!
Smart
Sudden and intense.
Smart
Causing sharp pain; stinging.
Smart
Sharp; keen; poignant.
A smart pain
Smart
Intense in feeling; painful. Used usually with the adverb intensifier right.
He raised his voice, and it hurt her feelings right smart.
That cast on his leg chaffs him right smart.
Smart
(archaic) Efficient; vigorous; brilliant.
Smart
(archaic) Pretentious; showy; spruce.
A smart gown
Smart
(archaic) Brisk; fresh.
A smart breeze
Smart
A sharp, quick, lively pain; a sting.
Smart
Mental pain or suffering; grief; affliction.
Smart
Smart-money.
Smart
A dandy; one who is smart in dress; one who is brisk, vivacious, or clever.
Smart
To feel a lively, pungent local pain; - said of some part of the body as the seat of irritation; as, my finger smarts; these wounds smart.
Smart
To feel a pungent pain of mind; to feel sharp pain or grief; to suffer; to feel the sting of evil; as, the team is still smarting from its loss of the championship.
No creature smarts so little as a fool.
He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it.
Smart
To cause a smart in.
Smart
Quick, pungent, lively pain; a pricking local pain, as the pain from puncture by nettles.
Smart
Severe, pungent pain of mind; pungent grief; as, the smart of affliction.
To stand 'twixt us and our deserved smart.
Counsel mitigates the greatest smart.
Smart
A fellow who affects smartness, briskness, and vivacity; a dandy.
Smart
Smart money (see below).
Smart
Causing a smart; pungent; pricking; as, a smart stroke or taste.
How smart lash that speech doth give my conscience.
Smart
Keen; severe; poignant; as, smart pain.
Smart
Vigorous; sharp; severe.
Smart
Accomplishing, or able to accomplish, results quickly; active; sharp; clever.
Smart
Efficient; vigorous; brilliant.
Smart
Marked by acuteness or shrewdness; quick in suggestion or reply; vivacious; witty; as, a smart reply; a smart saying.
Who, for the poor renown of being smartWould leave a sting within a brother's heart?
A sentence or two, . . . which I thought very smart.
Smart
Pretentious; showy; spruce; as, a smart gown.
Smart
Brisk; fresh; as, a smart breeze.
Smart
A kind of pain such as that caused by a wound or a burn or a sore
Smart
Be the source of pain
Smart
Showing mental alertness and calculation and resourcefulness
Smart
Elegant and stylish;
Chic elegance
A smart new dress
A suit of voguish cut
Smart
Characterized by quickness and ease in learning;
Some children are brighter in one subject than another
Smart children talk earlier than the average
Smart
Improperly forward or bold;
Don't be fresh with me
Impertinent of a child to lecture a grownup
An impudent boy given to insulting strangers
Smart
Marked by smartness in dress and manners;
A dapper young man
A jaunty red hat
Smart
Having a quick intelligence.
She is smart and always has the answer.
Common Curiosities
Is the perception of what is beautiful subjective?
Yes, beauty is often subjective and can vary based on individual preferences and cultural contexts.
Is there a synonym for beautiful that focuses on inner qualities?
Yes, the word "radiant" can sometimes refer to inner beauty or qualities.
Is the word beautiful used differently across cultures?
Yes, perceptions of beauty can vary widely across different cultures and time periods.
Can smart refer to someone's attire?
Yes, describing someone as smart can mean they are well-dressed or stylish.
Can a solution to a problem be described as smart?
Yes, a clever or effective solution can be referred to as smart.
Are there objective measures of being smart?
Yes, tests like IQ tests attempt to provide an objective measure of certain aspects of intelligence, though intelligence is multifaceted.
Does beautiful only refer to physical appearance?
No, beautiful can describe anything pleasing to the senses, like sights, sounds, or even feelings.
Does smart always mean intelligence?
No, smart can also refer to stylishness, promptness, or even a type of sharp pain.
Can a piece of art or music be described as beautiful?
Yes, art, music, or any form of expression can be described as beautiful if it is aesthetically pleasing.
Can an experience be described as beautiful?
Absolutely. An experience that is deeply satisfying or awe-inspiring can be termed beautiful.
Can smart refer to quick reflex actions?
Yes, smart can mean quick or prompt in action.
In technology terms, what does smart refer to?
In technology, smart often refers to devices or systems that have autonomous functions and can adapt or interact, like smart TVs or smartphones.
Can landscapes or nature be described as beautiful?
Yes, natural sceneries and landscapes are often described as beautiful due to their aesthetic appeal.
Can the term smart be used in a sarcastic manner?
Yes, like many adjectives, "smart" can be used sarcastically to imply the opposite.
Can both beautiful and smart be used to describe a person?
Yes, a person can be described as both beautiful (in terms of appearance or qualities) and smart (in terms of intelligence or style).
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
