slather

1 of 2

noun

slath·​er ˈsla-t͟hər How to pronounce slather (audio)
: a great quantity
often used in plural

slather

2 of 2

verb

slathered; slathering ˈsla-t͟hə-riŋ How to pronounce slather (audio)
ˈslat͟h-riŋ

transitive verb

1
: to use or spend in a wasteful or lavish manner : squander
2
a
: to spread thickly or lavishly
slathered sunscreen on her skin
b
: to spread something thickly or lavishly on
slathered her skin with sunscreen

Examples of slather in a Sentence

Verb We ate lobster slathered with butter.
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.
Noun
Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream $67 $47 Amazon When winter dryness comes along, slather on Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream to ensure your skin stays plump and smooth. Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 9 Oct. 2024 The Body Oil has the same alluring concoction of jasmine, saffron, cedarwood, and ambergris notes so your loved ones can slather said notes all over their bodies—oo la la. Angela Trakoshis, Allure, 27 Sep. 2024
Verb
Arguably the best part of this already popular YouTube series are the deeply thoughtful questions from Evans that his guest must answer while attempting to manage chicken wings slathered in hot sauces with names like Da Bomb and Arbol Scorpion. Alli Rosenbloom, CNN, 5 Nov. 2024 At this second stop, dismounted cyclists walked below canopies where volunteers served unsalted Tuscan bread slathered with pomodoro or meatball sauce, or Nutella, as well as sliced bananas and pastries. Tom Mullen, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slather 

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slather was in 1843

Dictionary Entries Near slather

Cite this Entry

“Slather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slather. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on slather

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!