as in smears
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler delightedly bedaubed herself with her mother's makeup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedaubs
Verb
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This chilling, starkly beautiful ambient piece draws Nebraska’s marginal whispers to the forefront and smears them across the picture plane.—
Sasha Geffen,
Pitchfork,
10 Mar. 2026 -
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
22 Dec. 2025
Verb
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The ranch flavor is prominent and generously coats your fingers (in the best way).—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
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Then there’s the gorgeous pink dust that lightly coats each chip.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
3 June 2026
Verb
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Nobody travels to matches, paints their face, or organizes a game-day event purely for the final score of a single game.—
Angela Haupt,
Time,
18 June 2026
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Also to work with the masterful Declan Quinn who paints with light as our DP.—
Andreas Wiseman,
Deadline,
18 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Bedaubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedaubs. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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