1
as in to paint
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
he is willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slander
Related Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smear
Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Since the premiere of the movie in August 2024, Lively has also accused Baldoni of participating in a deliberate smear campaign to ruin her reputation.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Police entered the home on a welfare check and noticed blood smeared on the walls and furniture scattered across the living room.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Verb
Last year, the competition got heated between Consuelos and The Tonight Show host, who ran a smear campaign ad against his competition.
—Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
Since the premiere of the movie in August 2024, Lively has also accused Baldoni of participating in a deliberate smear campaign to ruin her reputation.
—Janelle Ash, FOXNews.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
The little brother is still contentedly working on his painting, dipping his brush into his pots and then smearing it across the paper.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
Police entered the home on a welfare check and noticed blood smeared on the walls and furniture scattered across the living room.
—Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smear
Verb
-
Earle-Sears and other Republican candidates have tried to tie the text messages to the assassination of Charlie Kirk, painting Democrats as politically violent.—
Jahd Khalil,
NPR,
2 Nov. 2025
-
One photo showed a Waymo vehicle with broken windows and painted with graffiti on Sunset Boulevard.—
Stephen Sorace,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
-
As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
-
Jones accused Parker of slander and defamation, and said the incident could have an impact on the ability of her nonprofit to raise funds.—
Amanda McCoy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The Guardian should sue for slander.—
Kate Erbland,
IndieWire,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Moral stain aside, does anyone think such an injection of campus-style activism into the practical business of running the world's financial capital would actually benefit the median New Yorker?—
MSNBC Newsweek,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Oct. 2025
-
If your jute or sisal rug has a stain, skip the dish soap solutions.—
Jennifer Beck Goldblatt,
Architectural Digest,
31 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Add the ravioli and ¼ cup pasta cooking water and stir until the sauce is creamy and the ravioli are coated.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Pour lemon harissa sauce over wings; toss until coated.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
To be put in this category is discrediting.—
Meredith Wilshere,
PEOPLE,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.—
Taryn White,
Travel + Leisure,
29 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The latter song definitely required a bit of a disclaimer from Kylie, as the buzzy lyrics are full of innuendos about Travis’ — ahem — package.—
Hannah Dailey,
Billboard,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Produced before the rigid censorship of Hollywood’s Hays Code, The Old Dark House is much more explicit than horror films in the years to follow, dripping with provocations and innuendos, with a daring sensibility befitting a director whose own personal life flew in the face of convention.—
Samantha Allen,
Them.,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Wiping unsightly white smudges on your clothes with a sheet easily solves this wardrobe malfunction.—
Meghan Overdeep,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
-
Just walking across them barefoot can leave smudges, and even clean shoes can leave visible marks.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smear. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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