smear

noun \ ˈsmir \

|Updated on: 24 Jun 2018

Definition of smear

1 a : a viscous or sticky substance

b : a spot made by or as if by an unctuous or adhesive substance

2 : material smeared on a surface (as of a microscopic slide); also : a preparation made by smearing material on a surface

a vaginal smear

3 : a usually unsubstantiated charge or accusation against a person or organization —often used attributively

a smear campaign

a smear job

See smear defined for English-language learners

See smear defined for kids

Examples of smear in a Sentence

The blood smear revealed malaria.

Recent Examples of smear from the Web

The Hadashot evening news reported that Gabbay and the Zionist Union were behind a recent Facebook smear campaign targeting Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.

— mati tuchfeld, Jewish Journal, "Zionist Union leader: Western Wall does not belong only to Jews," 13 June 2018
The president came to the doctor's defense, accusing Tester of a smear campaign that devastated Jackson's family.

— the washington post, OregonLive.com, "Pentagon inspector general launches inquiry of former VA nominee Ronny Jackson," 4 June 2018
The clouds closest to the black hole swirl around it at high speed, which shifts the frequencies via the Doppler effect and smears out each spectral peak.

— daniel clery, Science | AAAS, "Discovery of middleweight black holes could explain origin of million-solar-mass monster," 30 May 2018
This chilling smear campaign is an extremely worrying development for women human rights defenders and activists in Saudi Arabia.

— christopher carbone, Fox News, "Saudi Arabia cracks down on feminists, branding them 'traitors' weeks before driving ban is lifted," 20 May 2018
Russian nationalists, however, have trumpeted an alternative set of events: that Ivan IV was not a vindictive and bloodthirsty tyrant, but rather the target of a smear campaign by Western leaders who opposed him.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Man Attacks Ivan the Terrible Painting, Blames Vodka," 30 May 2018
Buzzfeed, Mediaite, Business Insider will assign some lowly blogger to write some smear about him, and that's what's going to happen.

— Fox News, "Trump-Macron friendship takes center stage," 26 Apr. 2018
Evidence showing blood smears supported that notion.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Murderer grandson of prominent Mobile attorney found guilty," 16 Apr. 2018
This chilling smear campaign is an extremely worrying development for women human rights defenders and activists in Saudi Arabia.

— suyin haynes, Time, "Saudi Arabia Criticized For 'Smear Campaign' Against Women’s Rights Activists Ahead of Driving Ban Reform," 21 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'smear.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of smear

Middle English smere, from Old English smeoru; akin to Old High German smero grease and probably to Old Irish smiur marrow

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

smear

verb

Definition of smear

smeared; smearing; smears

transitive verb

1 a : to overspread with something unctuous, viscous, or adhesive : daub

smeared the paper with glue

b : to spread over a surface

2 a : to stain, smudge, or dirty by or as if by smearing

b : sully, besmirch; specifically : to vilify especially by secretly and maliciously spreading grave charges and imputations

3 : to obliterate, obscure, blur, blend, wipe out, or defeat by or as if by smearing

—

smearer

noun

See smear defined for English-language learners

Examples of smear in a Sentence

The children smeared the window with fingerprints.
She smeared jam on her toast.
Butter was smeared all over the counter.
Her mascara smeared when she cried.

Recent Examples of smear from the Web

Officials said the smell of urine in the home was unbearable and said feces had been smeared on the walls.

— laney ruckstuhl, BostonGlobe.com, "More than 80 great danes seized from N.H. mansion will be available for adoption," 15 June 2018
The Russian journalist who worked with Ukrainian authorities to fake his own death says he was smeared with swine blood and taken to the morgue as part of his elaborately staged murder.

— Fox News, "Ukraine: Reporter's fake murder involved swine blood, morgue," 1 June 2018
The Russian journalist who faked his own death in a sting operation planned by Ukrainian authorities said he was smeared in pig's blood and even taken to a morgue to pull off the elaborate ruse.

— doug stanglin, USA TODAY, "Russian journalist says pig's blood, makeup artist used to fake his death in police sting," 31 May 2018
Another noteworthy pick is the garlicky chickpea spread ($2 each) smeared on a cut of crusty Gaston’s Bakery baguette, with a piece of pickled celery on top.

— james patrick kelly, idahostatesman, "Downtown Boise’s Txikiteo bolsters the list of locally owned Basque eateries," 30 May 2018
Police officers went into Villagomez's unit and found a large pool of blood on a coffee table, a steak knife with blood on the handle and blood smeared on the walls, the affidavit said.

— everton bailey jr., OregonLive.com, "Newport mom accused of stabbing son, 6, told police he deserved it, court records show," 29 May 2018
Authorities say Skripal and her father, Sergei, were poisoned by a military-grade nerve agent known as Novichok, which investigators suspect was smeared on the doorknob of their home in Salisbury.

— amanda erickson, Washington Post, "‘My strength is growing daily:’ Yulia Skripal speaks out for the first time since poisoning," 5 Apr. 2018
The author Sam Harris has been insisting that Charles Murray’s work on IQ and race has been smeared, or ignored, because liberals hate its political implications.

— jonathan chait, Daily Intelligencer, "These Urban Experiments Prove Charles Murray Is Wrong About Race Science," 2 Apr. 2018
In order to be spared, the Israelites were instructed to kill a Passover lamb and smear its blood on the door posts so the angel of death would pass over.

— greg garrison, AL.com, "What is Passover? Here are some facts about the biblical holiday," 30 Mar. 2018

First Known Use of smear

before 12th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

smear Synonyms

Synonyms

asperse, blacken, defame, libel, malign, slander, traduce, vilify;

Near Antonyms

exalt, glorify, honor;

acclaim, applaud, commend, praise;

esteem, respect;

admire, regard;

adore, revere, venerate, worship;

discredit, disgrace, dishonor, shame;

abase, debase, degrade, humble, humiliate;

disdain, scorn;

SMEAR Defined for English Language Learners

smear

noun

Definition of smear for English Language Learners

: a dirty mark, spot, streak, etc., made by touching or rubbing something
medical : a very small sample of something (such as skin or blood) that someone examines with a microscope
: an untrue story about a person that is meant to hurt that person's reputation

smear

verb

Definition of smear for English Language Learners

: to make (something) dirty by rubbing it with something else
: to spread (something) over a surface
: to spread or drip in an untidy way

SMEAR Defined for Kids

smear

verb \ ˈsmir \

Definition of smear for Students

smeared; smearing

1 : to spread or soil with something oily or sticky

So Bean carefully smeared white all over Ivy's face except her lips.
—Annie Barrows, Ivy {ampersand} Bean

2 : to spread over a surface

Her makeup smeared.

3 : to harm the reputation of (someone) with false statements

smear

noun

Definition of smear for Students

: a spot or streak made by or as if by an oily or sticky substance : smudge

Medical Dictionary

smear

noun \ ˈsmi(ə)r \

medical Definition of smear

: material spread on a surface (as of a microscopic slide); also : a preparation made by spreading material on a surface — see pap smear, vaginal smear