smudged; smudging
1
a
: a blurry spot or streak
b
: an immaterial stain
cleanse him of every last smudge of impropriety—
Richard Hanser
Richard 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
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
Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 June 2025
The name and number set were also in poor condition and the front sponsor was smudged.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 1 June 2025
Sarah Lord, PC Magazine, 1 July 2025
Barbaro had set a small fire in the hallway using a pile of cardboard and, for extra measure, had lit a homemade smoke bomb (some reports refer to it as a smudge pot).
—Sally Ventura
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for smudge
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Verb
Madeline Brewer Madeline Brewer dusted her eyelids amber-colored shadow, smudging the color in below her waterline to create a smoky effect.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 3 June 2025
The name and number set were also in poor condition and the front sponsor was smudged.
—Elias Burke, New York Times, 1 June 2025
Noun
The rear panel is made of textured plastic that does a good job of preventing smudges and fingerprints, but the tablet can still be a bit slippery to hold.
—Sarah Lord, PC Magazine, 1 July 2025
Barbaro had set a small fire in the hallway using a pile of cardboard and, for extra measure, had lit a homemade smoke bomb (some reports refer to it as a smudge pot).
—Sally Ventura
june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Cite this Entry
“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smudge. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids 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 noun1
a
: a blurry spot or streak : smear
2
: a fire made to smoke (as for protecting fruit from frost)
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