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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Recent Examples of smear
Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2025
Players must be honest or risk having their reputation smeared during gossip hour after the game.
—Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025
Reagan was met with pushback from his era's media culture, but Trump and his supporters have endured a decade of smears and muzzles unlike any in American history.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Verb
Hot tip: Don’t smear or drag—simply patting your concealer in will keep it from caking and creasing.
—Petra Guglielmetti, Glamour, 2 Apr. 2025
Players must be honest or risk having their reputation smeared during gossip hour after the game.
—Jason Mastrodonato, Mercury News, 24 Mar. 2025
Noun
To prevent scratches, spray Windex on a soft cloth, and gently rub the crystal item until dust and smears are removed.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025
Reagan was met with pushback from his era's media culture, but Trump and his supporters have endured a decade of smears and muzzles unlike any in American history.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 13 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smear
Verb
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In addition, fans are excited to pick up official miniatures to paint and portray desperate battles between humans and Xenomorphs on the table top.—
Rob Wieland,
Forbes.com,
14 Apr. 2025
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Include a beginner's guide to painting to encourage new techniques.—
Jené Luciani Sena,
FOXNews.com,
14 Apr. 2025
Verb
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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
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Please ask your daughter to stop libeling Miss Manners.—
Judith Martin,
The Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2025
Noun
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The plaintiff is suing for libel, slander, intentional infliction of emotional distress, invasion of privacy, portraying him in a false light and negligence.—
Sarah Fortinsky,
The Hill,
26 Feb. 2025
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Did Senate Majority Leader John Thune defend his colleague in the face of the president’s slander?—
Bret Stephens,
The Mercury News,
22 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Join the 20,000 customers who recently bought the compact cleaning gadget to tackle stains, pet messes, and dirt on carpets and upholstery.—
Isabel Garcia,
People.com,
18 Apr. 2025
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The Laundress makes a ton of other luxury laundry products, like a stain remover pretreatment, wool and cashmere spray, and a static-reducing fabric softener.—
Annie Blackman,
Allure,
18 Apr. 2025
Verb
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It’s entirely made of cotton that has been coated with polyvinyl to create a sturdy material with the look of pebbled leather, which is as water-resistant and stain-repellent as hide.—
Miles Walls,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Apr. 2025
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Cook, stirring gently and spooning sauce over meatballs, until evenly coated and an instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meatballs registers at least 160°F, 3 to 5 minutes.—
Kimberly Holland,
Southern Living,
17 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Biden’s actions continue to discredit the legitimacy of our judicial system.—
Carl Burdette,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2025
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The current page suggests this paper's explicit intention was to discredit the lab leak theory and remove any doubt that the origins were of natural origin.—
Youri Benadjaoud,
ABC News,
18 Apr. 2025
Noun
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Since her husband’s victory, Stoll has been the subject of gossip, innuendo, and outright hate in the media and online.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
17 Apr. 2025
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What makes the experience of grinding through all 900-plus pages is the way the author weaves together rumor, history, innuendo, mystery, outrage, heartache and ecstasy.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The only smudge on an otherwise record-setting year came when the confetti fell at UPMC Cooper Fieldhouse in Pittsburgh and Ford Center in Evansville, Ind., as the Toros watched their opponents celebrated winning NCAA Division II national titles.—
Anthony De Leon,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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Non-shiny finishes are also less likely to show fingerprints and oily smudges that are so common in a busy space like the kitchen.—
Cameron Beall,
Southern Living,
5 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smear. Accessed 28 Apr. 2025.
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