as in to stain
to make dirty
she accidentally smudged her collar with the lipstick
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
the president's spouse must not have the slightest smudge of scandal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smudge
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Amazon Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara A mascara that’s guaranteed not to smudge your undereye is the crowning glory of anyone’s makeup collection.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 19 May 2026
Then gently rub off smudges and fingerprints with a circular motion.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Verb
Those smudged, hazy glass patio doors are not doing your indoor-outdoor view any favors.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026
Amazon Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara A mascara that’s guaranteed not to smudge your undereye is the crowning glory of anyone’s makeup collection.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
Noun
The headphones didn’t feel noticeably heavier than their predecessor during our extended test run and were less prone to fingerprints and smudges.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 19 May 2026
Then gently rub off smudges and fingerprints with a circular motion.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudge
Verb
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But staining showed no RNA or DNA molecules, indicating that the cells were definitely dead.—
Siddhant Pusdekar,
Quanta Magazine,
1 June 2026
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The Bruins’ bat boy’s tears stained the front of Cholowsky’s jersey as his sobs grew heavier by the second.—
Ira Gorawara,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Noun
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The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
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The good news is that the gala survived its Bezos taint.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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One of the few blots on last summer’s Leeds copybook.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
Then, blot-dry excess moisture with clean paper towels or extract with a wet/dry vacuum.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
21 May 2026
Verb
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Inside, boards blackened by smoke and sweat, the air sweet with cane and forgetting.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
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Sepsis had left his skin peeling and his body blackened, including parts of his fingers, ears, lips and lower legs.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudge. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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