SLATHER Synonyms: 91 Similar and Opposite Words

slather 1 of 2

verb

Definition of slather

as in to smear

to put a thick layer of a liquid, cream, etc. over (something) We ate lobster slathered with butter. She slathered her skin with sunscreen.

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slather

2 of 2

noun

as in gobs

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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 slather

Verb

The busboy, Oscar, fantasizes about slathering honey over Kelce's bared chest as he is tied to a pole, leaving him to be eaten by a bear. — Amaris Encinas, USA Today, 8 July 2026 Vanicek seems more interested in slathering on the gore, to the point where the movie starts to seem less like a full-bodied story than a string of hyper-violent set pieces. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 8 July 2026 This August, when the Pirates come to Dodger Stadium, Brockert worked out a deal to partner with a 120-year-old Pittsburgh institution, Isaly’s, to serve a hot dog topped with its signature chopped deli ham slathered in barbecue sauce. — Danny Palumbo, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 This body oil gel from Vaseline is one of my favorites to slather on before lounging by the pool or to add a little glow to my shoulders before dinner. — Iman Balagam, InStyle, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for slather

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slather

Verb

Excessive oil can clog the cloth’s fibers and smear grime across your stainless steel, creating unsightly streaks and residue.

— Kate Van Pelt, The Spruce, 15 July 2026
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

Definition of smear

Noun

But the temporary arena is covering nearly the entirety of the White House's South Lawn, where Marine One usually lands to ferry the president to out-of-town trips and gobs of kids scramble in the grass during the Easter Egg Roll every spring.

— ABC News, ABC News, 11 June 2026
But the temporary arena is covering nearly the entirety of the White House’s South Lawn, where Marine One usually lands to ferry the president to out-of-town trips and gobs of kids scramble in the grass during the Easter Egg Roll every spring.

— Will Weissert, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2026

Definition of gobs

Verb

The poetic interpretation of the photo is of Messi anointing his successor.

— James Horncastle, New York Times, 19 July 2026
There’s no audience score yet on Rotten Tomatoes, but there’s been positive word of mouth from the media who’ve watched the epic, who are already anointing it with awards-season buzz.

— Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 14 July 2026

Definition of anoint

Noun

Room types include Classic Rooms, Superior Rooms, and Two-Bedroom Family Rooms, as well as a slew of suite options, from Junior Suites to Three-Bedroom Family Suites that sleep up to seven.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 July 2026
The club’s members, including an industrialist and his expatriate niece, the president and his pampered wife, and a slew of Chinese tourists, engage in a complex dance with the doting and subservient staff.

— Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 15 July 2026

Definition of slew

Noun

Here is what the trend looks like, who is driving it and what to know before building your own stack.

— Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026
Walden says its full-stack approach combines hardware, AI, and deployment software to create robots that become more capable over time, targeting industries including automotive, aerospace, semiconductors, electronics, logistics, and life sciences.

— Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 July 2026

Definition of stack

Verb

To celebrate, the president wants to offer free admissions that day to the country’s national parks, a self-serving gesture, no doubt, but one that is no surprise for a man who spent much of his adult life plastering his name on the sides of buildings, airplanes and casino hotels.

— Leonard Greene, Mercury News, 27 Dec. 2025
In one scene, Gracie Abrams texts Taylor a picture of the singer plastered on the side of a hotel in Indianapolis.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 23 Dec. 2025

Definition of plaster

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slates

slather

slathered

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Cite this Entry

Style

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

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Synonyms of slather

verb

noun

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