variants or less commonly whip smart or whipsmart
: very smart or clever
whip-smart dialogue
But underestimate or patronise Jessica at your peril. She's whip-smart, ultra-ambitious and brutally honest.Kerry Potter
He is also whip smart and tenacious, driven and efficient, typical of the breed so often attracted to academic medical research.Lisa Belkin

Examples of whip-smart in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
To be a wallflower at the Studio Museum in Harlem’s annual gala one must be equipped for whip-smart stories and be ever-ready for poignant details on the ongoing endeavors of the institution. Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 30 Oct. 2024 The model's accessories, meanwhile, were also whip-smart: thick oversized frames—her take on the office siren trend?—and and brown leather Hermès Kelly bag. Christian Allaire, Vogue, 24 Sep. 2024 The whip-smart Pepperdine alum has quickly become a fan favorite over the past couple years so a team competition where his side will be the visitors will be a stark change of pace. Mike Dojc, Forbes, 24 Sep. 2024 What could have been a tired fish-out-of-water story with easy jokes about the future and technology outruns clichés with whip-smart writing and truly heartfelt characters. Alex Galbraith, EW.com, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for whip-smart 

Word History

First Known Use

1942, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of whip-smart was in 1942

Dictionary Entries Near whip-smart

Cite this Entry

“Whip-smart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/whip-smart. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!