Meaning & use
smooth
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivecomparable
Having a flat, even surface with no bumps or rough spots.
Grammar: Used before a noun or after be: smooth skin, the table is smooth.
Patterns
- smooth to the touch
The stone was smooth from years in the river.
She ran her hand over the smooth wood.
The road was smooth after the repair.
adjectivecomparable
Happening without trouble or sudden changes.
Grammar: Used about movement or a process: a smooth landing.
Patterns
- a smooth transition
The plane made a smooth landing.
We had a smooth start to the new project.
The meeting ran smooth from start to finish.
adjectivecomparable
Mixed so that there are no lumps, as with a sauce or drink.
Grammar: Used about food: a smooth sauce.
Patterns
- smooth and creamy
Stir until the batter is smooth.
The soup was thick and smooth.
This peanut butter is smooth, not crunchy.
adjectivecomparableinformal
Polite and charming, sometimes in a way that seems too slick to trust.
Grammar: Often used for speakers: a smooth talker.
Patterns
- a smooth talker
He is a smooth talker who always gets his way.
The salesman gave a smooth reply.
She was too smooth for my liking.
verbtransitive
To make a surface flat and even by pressing or rubbing.
Grammar: Takes an object: smooth the sheet.
Patterns
- smooth something out
- smooth something down
She smoothed the tablecloth with her hand.
He smoothed the sand before drawing.
The carpenter smoothed the board with sandpaper.
verbtransitivefigurative
To make something easier by removing problems or obstacles.
Grammar: Often with over or the way: smooth over a quarrel.
Patterns
- smooth over something
- smooth the way
She smoothed over the quarrel with a joke.
The new law will smooth the way for exports.
He tried to smooth things over with his boss.
Word forms
| comparative | smoother |
|---|---|
| superlative | smoothest |
| third person singular | smooths |
| past tense | smoothed |
| past participle | smoothed |
| -ing form | smoothing |
Common combinations
- smooth surface
- Paint goes on easily over a smooth surface.
- smooth transition
- The company promised a smooth transition.
- smooth over
- She tried to smooth over the argument.
- smooth operator
- Everyone called him a smooth operator.
- smooth sailing
- After the first week it was smooth sailing.
- smooth skin
- The cream left her skin soft and smooth.
Synonyms and how they differ
- even
- Even stresses a level surface, while smooth stresses the lack of roughness.
- sleek
- Sleek suggests a shiny and well-shaped look, which is more stylish than smooth.
- seamless
- Seamless describes a transition with no visible join, which is more complete than smooth.
- suave
- Suave describes polished charm in a person and has no sense of surface.
Opposites
Word family
- smoothly adverb
- in an easy way
- smoothness noun
- the quality of being even
- smoothie noun
- a thick blended fruit drink
- smoother noun
- a tool for making things even
Commonly confused: smooth or soothe?
smooth vs soothe
Soothe means to calm someone and is pronounced with a similar sound but a different meaning.
Practice
After the heated argument, she tried to ____ things over with a kind apology.
Choose one answer.
Smooth things over is a fixed phrase meaning to reduce conflict. Soothe takes a person as the object, and flatten and iron do not form this idiom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “smooth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.