as in smearing
to cover with a hardened layer
shoes caked with dried mud
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of caking
Dirt is everywhere, caking people’s Vans sneakers, and the day is a dull grey as clouds above threaten rain.
—
Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for caking
Verb
-
In 2012, the gossip site Gawker, infamous for smearing conservative activists, published embarrassing footage of Hogan that had been secretly recorded and had no legitimate news value.—
George Harris,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The pigment lasts all day without smearing.—
Catharine Malzahn,
Glamour,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Apply Mulch Mulch prevents the soil from crusting and improves its water retention.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
15 Mar. 2026
-
During the first few days, normal symptoms such as crusting and redness may happen.—
Daniel Fusch,
USA Today,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The show’s name referred to their self-identification as helpless babies overwhelmed by the pressures of modernity, comforted only by coating themselves in fancy serums and moisturizers to recreate the peaceful, placental insulation of the womb.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Apr. 2026
-
These are Chinese, of course, and are made by coating duck eggs in a paste of salt, wood ash, lime, and black tea and burying them among rice husks in huge ceramic jars for 100 days.—
Jeffrey Steingarten,
Vogue,
5 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Caking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caking. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
