plural smears
1
: a dirty mark, spot, streak, etc., made by touching or rubbing something
There was a smear [=smudge] on the mirror.
2
medical
: a very small sample of something (such as skin or blood) that someone examines with a microscope
The blood smear revealed malaria.
3
: an untrue story about a person that is meant to hurt that person's reputation
a deliberate smear
—often used before another nouna smear campaign
His opponent did a smear job on him.
smears; smeared; smearing
1
: to make (something) dirty by rubbing it with something else
The children smeared the window with fingerprints.
2
: to spread (something) over a surface
She smeared jam on her toast.
Butter was smeared all over the counter.
The axle was smeared [=covered] with grease.
children with paint-smeared faces
3
a
: to spread or drip in an untidy way
Her mascara smeared when she cried.
The ink smeared [=smudged] when she folded the letter.
b
: to cause (something) to spread or drip in an untidy way
Water smeared [=smudged] the ink so I could barely read the letter.
4
: to make untrue statements about someone in order to hurt that person's reputation
political opponents smearing each other
They deliberately tried to smear him by telling lies about his war record.
They tried to smear his reputation.
Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/smear. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy Citation
