BEDAUBED Synonyms: 117 Similar and Opposite Words | Merriam-Webster Thesaurus

bedaubed 1 of 2

adjective

as in gaudy

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

bedaubed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of bedaub

as in smeared

to rub an oily or sticky substance over the toddler delightedly bedaubed herself with her mother's makeup

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedaubed

Adjective

Lonnie’s gaudy outfits and bleach-blonde locks may as well be an homage to John Daly, if not a long tradition of pro golfers who refuse to blend in with their respectable surroundings.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 16 July 2026
To help advertise the event, Netflix converted an ice cream truck into a gaudy mobile billboard that would make Pimp My Ride stop and take notice.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 13 July 2026

Definition of gaudy

Verb

When the House Committee smeared me on TV and sent letters chastising Northwestern during the Biden administration, suddenly my Palestine solidarity speech became a fireable offense.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 14 July 2026
Investigators said two operatives from Russia’s military traveled to Britain under aliases, smeared the poison on the front door of Skripal’s home and boarded a flight back to Moscow.

— Faith Karimi, CNN Money, 11 July 2026

Definition of smeared

Adjective

Once, plastic surgery seemed garish, its own obvious signs a kind of cost that people paid for refusing to appear old.

— Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
From a mahogany chest of drawers to multi-pane windows framed by simple pull curtains, everything is so harmoniously aligned that the bedside Kleenex box seems garish in comparison.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 July 2026

Definition of garish

Adjective

As Vasily Borodin, executive officer of the Red October, Neill brings gravitas and gentle truth to a submarine thriller that otherwise can feel a little showy.

— Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 14 July 2026
Sheppard emphasized that the home was designed to feel livable and warm rather than overbuilt or showy, leaning into a traditional farmhouse style.

— David Caraccio Updated July 8, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026

Definition of showy

Adjective

Everyone from Ed Sheeran to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell were spotted, as were several Kansas City Chiefs players, many of whom were captured loading into blacked out sprinter vans from a swanky hotel that media and some fans staked out.

— Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
Tuba is currently having a resurgence in Colima, with the drink being sold by industrious street vendors and swanky mixologists alike.

— Carlos De Loera, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of swank

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

bedaub

bedaubed

bedaubing

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Bedaubed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedaubed. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dog days

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

The Longest Long Words List

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

Why do we say 'fly off the handle'?

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat