as in smears
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler delightedly bedaubed herself with her mother's makeup
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bedaubs
Verb
-
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 -
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!—
The Hill,
The Hill,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
It’s known for its precision nylon brush—more like a flat comb than a fluffy spoolie—that thoroughly coats, lifts, and lengthens each individual lash.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
3 Feb. 2026
-
The most visible sign of this decay is the toxic white foam that now coats the surface, a thick layer of sewage and industrial waste that has formed over sections of the river.—
Rhea Mogul,
CNN Money,
1 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Truist details allegations against former bank executives Truist’s complaint paints a picture of betrayal and covert meetings preceding the exodus.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Sherald paints Black people with care, and grayscale skin tones and flat fields of color shift the focus away from assumptions about race and toward character.—
Okla Jones,
Essence,
27 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Bedaubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bedaubs. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
