What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
smarter
Example
She is smarter than her classmates and always gets the highest grades. [smarter: comparative adjective]
Example
He came up with a smarter solution to the problem that nobody else had thought of. [smarter: comparative adverb]
clever
Example
She is clever enough to come up with a solution to any problem. [clever: adjective]
Example
He cleverly avoided answering the question directly. [cleverly: adverb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Clever is more commonly used than smarter in everyday language. Clever is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while smarter is less common and is typically used in specific situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between smarter and clever?
Both smarter and clever are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
