smudge

1 of 2

verb

smudged; smudging

transitive verb

1
a
: to make a smudge on
b
: to soil as if by smudging
2
a
: to rub, daub, or wipe in a smeary manner
b
: to make indistinct : blur
smudged the writing
3
: to smoke or protect by means of a smudge

intransitive verb

1
: to make a smudge
2
: to become smudged

smudge

2 of 2

noun

1
a
: a blurry spot or streak
b
: an immaterial stain
cleanse him of every last smudge of improprietyRichard Hanser
c
: an indistinct mass : blur
2
: a smoldering mass placed on the windward side (as to protect from frost)
3
: a bid of four in pitch that if made wins the game
smudgily adverb
smudginess noun
smudgy adjective

Examples of smudge in a Sentence

Verb Don't smudge the picture with your dirty hands! His face was smudged with grease. Noun His hand left a grimy smudge on the wall. the president's spouse must not have the slightest smudge of scandal
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Another person wiped away the tears of a friend, making sure her makeup didn’t smudge. Francesca Ebel, Washington Post, 2 Mar. 2024 The exterior is smudged, the wheels brown, the components smeared with years of soot. David Waldstein, New York Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Inflation can’t smudge the glowing beauty industry Overall sales at Macy’s namesake department stores were down 2.5 percent in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared with the same period a year earlier. Jaclyn Peiser, Washington Post, 27 Feb. 2024 The drawing-paintings are smudged, layered and apparently improvisational. Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2024 Be careful not to touch the wet eggs, as the colors can smudge. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2024 Underneath gorgeous cornrows were eyes smudged with a smoky linker on the lower lash line. Essence, 26 Jan. 2024 In one photo, Bronze looked shocked as his mom snapped his photo, cake smudged across his cheeks. Hannah Sacks, Peoplemag, 17 Jan. 2024 Think frizz, static, flatness, awkward placements, smudging your face makeup and everything in between. Kara Nesvig, Allure, 29 Nov. 2023
Noun
With lower magnification than a telescope, binoculars resolve many of the objects only as hard-to-identify smudges, and the observer can lose track of a galaxy with an accidental shake of their hands. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 Mar. 2024 In the meantime, we’re inspired to swipe on our makeup boldly, set aside our rosy pink blush for a vibrant shade of yellow or coral, and experiment with a smudge of lime lipstick, just as McGrath did on these models at Margiela. Annie Blay, Allure, 30 Jan. 2024 At a time when almost every Macintosh was a variation of beige or gray, the Macintosh TV came along with a splash of black (a smudge?) to spice things up a bit. Benj Edwards, Ars Technica, 24 Jan. 2024 At Marc Jacobs, lashes reached preternatural, doll-like levels, while the smudges at Prabal Gurung gave a stark relief. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 15 Feb. 2024 Though prone to showing fingerprints and smudges, chrome elements add a touch of elegance, dancing across the dashboard and center console and extending to the doors. Kyle Edward, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2024 The penguins’ guano–aka bird poop–showed up on satellite imagery as a series of dark smudges and allowed researchers to zero in on these new breeding sites. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Jan. 2024 If that's not enough to remove stains or smudges, consider other cleaning methods that won't damage the band. Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Nov. 2023 Size: 22 oz | Use: Cleans, shines, and protects stainless steel surfaces from smudges | Scented? Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smudge.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English smogen

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun

circa 1774, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of smudge was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near smudge

Cite this Entry

“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smudge. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

smudge

1 of 2 verb
smudged; smudging
1
a
: to make a smudge on
b
: to soil as if by smudging
2
: to make a smudge
a chalk that does not smudge
3
: to become smudged
charcoal drawings smudge easily

smudge

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a blurry spot or streak : smear
2
: a fire made to smoke (as for protecting fruit from frost)
smudgy adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on smudge

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