1
as in stains
to make dirty
a tablecloth daubed with too many spills to ignore any longer
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smears
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
he begins his nightly transformation into a circus clown by daubing greasepaint on his face
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for daubs
Verb
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026 -
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
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
Noun
-
Nearby, an oversize atlas bears drawings of the earthquake’s activity created by pendulums.—
Sneha Dhandapani,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
-
And the pièce de résistance of the room, by far, though also the hardest to spot, are original drawings of showgirls by the one and only Bob Mackie, who also had a cameo on the show earlier this season.—
Rachel Wallace,
Architectural Digest,
29 May 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
Verb
-
All of which paints a friendly picture for a presumptive owner, which could make Sacramento a turnkey operation if given the go-ahead from Major League Baseball.—
Chris Biderman,
Sacbee.com,
29 May 2026
-
Jill's memoir, however, paints a much more honest picture of Joe's concern regarding his poor performance.—
Emma Banks,
InStyle,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Organized in six sections, combining both chronological and thematic approaches, the exhibition opens with a group of portraits of Lee Miller taken by some of the greatest photographers and filmmakers of the 1920s and 1930s – Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton and George Hoyningen-Huene among them.—
Cecilia Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
The zoo frequently posts portraits of her on its Instagram page.—
Noelle Phillips,
Denver Post,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
Cleaning dirt and smudges off window glass helps sunlight penetrate into your home and will boost the amount of light that’s available to your houseplants.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Dim sunlight smudges skies for only a few hours in the depth of winter.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
On the palate, the whiskey delivers a medium-to-full-bodied texture with a pleasantly oily mouthfeel that coats the tongue without feeling heavy.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
Return the egg mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and coats a spatula (about 170 degrees Fahrenheit).—
Kelly McCarthy,
ABC News,
26 May 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
“Daubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daubs. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
