Cool MateIntelligent vs Pretty smart
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Intelligent
Top 1,000 (very common)A2adjective
Pretty smart
InformalTop 5,000 (fairly common)
Most formal: IntelligentMost common: Intelligent
| Intelligent | Pretty smart | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 /["/ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/"]/🇺🇸 /["/ɪnˈtelɪdʒənt/"]/ | 🇬🇧 //ˈprɪti smɑːt//🇺🇸 //ˈprɪti smɑrt// |
| Meaning | Smart or able to think well. | Very intelligent or clever. |
| Example | The intelligent student quickly solved the math problem. | She's not just smart; she's pretty smart when it comes to math. |
| Register | Neutral | Informal |
| How common | Top 1,000 (very common) | Top 5,000 (fairly common) |
| CEFR level | A2 | - |
| Part of speech | adjective | |
| Collocations | be, look, seem, extremely, fairly, very | pretty smart idea, pretty smart decision, pretty smart move |
| Antonyms | unintelligent, stupid, dull | - |
| Common mistakes | Confused with 'intellect' which refers more to reasoning ability., Mistakenly using as a noun instead of an adjective (e.g., 'an intelligent' instead of 'an intelligent person'). | Confusing with 'pretty' as just 'difficult' instead of 'very', Using in overly formal situations, Misplacing 'smart' meaning it's only book-smart |
| Usage notes | Use 'intelligent' to describe someone who has a high ability to learn or understand. It’s generally positive and can apply in both formal and informal contexts. Avoid using it sarcastically. | Commonly used in informal contexts to compliment someone's intelligence. Avoid in formal writing. |
See it in real clips
Frequently asked questions: Intelligent vs Pretty smart
What's the difference between Intelligent and Pretty smart?
Intelligent: Smart or able to think well. Pretty smart: Very intelligent or clever.
Which is more formal: Intelligent and Pretty smart?
Intelligent is the most formal of these.
Which is more common: Intelligent and Pretty smart?
Intelligent is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Intelligent: The intelligent student quickly solved the math problem. Pretty smart: She's not just smart; she's pretty smart when it comes to math.
Can I use Intelligent and Pretty smart interchangeably?
Not always. Intelligent and Pretty smart are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.