slather

1 of 2

noun

slath·​er ˈsla-t͟hər 

: a great quantity

—often used in plural

slather

2 of 2

verb

slathered; slathering ˈsla-t͟hə-riŋ 

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

Noun

Big, bold flavor in every squeeze, slather and smear Make room in your fridge for the sauces that squeezed out the competition in our PEOPLE 2025 Food Awards. —Sabrina Weiss, People.com, 4 June 2025

This is because our hero stacker—that classic white-bread tomato sandwich with tomato and a slather of mayo—is all dependent on those ripe, juicy heirloom tomatoes plucked straight off the vine and cut into beefy slices. —Betsy Cribb Watson, Southern Living, 11 May 2025

Verb

The shrimp cocktail is now just a handful of Sea-Monkeys slathered in ketchup and the closest thing to a free meal is the garnish that hitches a ride on the rim of your Solo cup. —Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 29 May 2025

Hart asks, after biting into the first wing, which is slathered in Señor Lechuga Lemon Garlic Habanero. —Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 27 May 2025

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

Rhymes for slather

• gather
• lather
• rather