smart move

smart move — idiom

1. an action, choice, or plan that is sensible and likely to produce a good result,

1.idiomB1
Definition

an action, choice, or plan that is sensible and likely to produce a good result, especially one that shows clever thinking about a situation

Example

Buying a house in that neighborhood was a smart move — prices have doubled since.

Mei-Lin realized that apologizing to her colleague was the smartest move she could make.

Common collocations
  • a smart move
  • the smartest move
  • not a smart move
  • make a smart move
  • was a smart move
Synonyms
  • good call

    equally informal, used especially for decisions made in the moment

  • wise choice

    slightly more formal; emphasizes wisdom over cleverness

  • shrewd move

    more formal; implies sharp business or strategic judgment

  • right decision

    neutral tone, focuses on correctness of outcome

Antonyms
  • bad move

    direct opposite in same register

  • mistake

    broader term, not limited to decisions

Grammar Patterns

it is/was a smart move to [verb]

[subject] made a smart move [by + -ing]

Usage Note

Frequently appears in retrospective evaluations ('was a smart move') or warnings ('is not a smart move'). In formal writing, alternatives like 'wise decision' or 'prudent choice' are more appropriate.

Common Mistakes

It is a smart move going to university.
It is a smart move to go to university.
Use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form, when the phrase directly follows a smart move.

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

All four alternatives describe a positive decision, but they differ in register and nuance. 'Good call' is the most casual, used for quick, in-the-moment decisions — a coach might say 'good call' after a quarterback changes a play. 'Wise choice' sounds more mature and pensive, often used for life decisions ('going back to school was a wise choice'). 'Shrewd move' carries a strategic, almost calculating tone, common in business contexts ('a shrewd move to acquire the competitor'). 'Right decision' is the most neutral, simply stating correctness without color. Example: 'Breaking up was the right decision, even though it hurt.' — here 'smart move' would sound too lighthearted for the emotional weight.

good call ↗wise choiceshrewd moveright decision

Etymology

Old EnglishOld FrenchAmerican English

The phrase combines 'smart' (from Old English 'smeortan', meaning 'sharp, stinging', which later evolved to mean 'mentally sharp' in American English by the 19th century) with 'move' (from Old French 'movoir', 'to change position'). The figurative use of 'move' to mean 'a step in a plan or course of action' dates to the 17th century. 'Smart move' as a set phrase gained popularity in 20th-century American English, particularly in business and sports contexts.