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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
as in gobs
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
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
Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Layer some slices of cooked tempeh onto whole-grain toast slathered with ripe avocado.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026
Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 7 Apr. 2026
Still, slather or spray yourself with plenty of repellent (there’s a natural one provided in your room) and make sure to close the mosquito nets around your bed at night.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slather
Verb
Our Test Kitchen turned this classic dessert into a rich vanilla ice cream slathered with homemade strawberry sauce.
—Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Layer some slices of cooked tempeh onto whole-grain toast slathered with ripe avocado.
—Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
This 2-pack of spreaders and tongs is essential for guests to grab those bite-sized sandwiches and slather jam or butter on scones.
—Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 7 Apr. 2026
Still, slather or spray yourself with plenty of repellent (there’s a natural one provided in your room) and make sure to close the mosquito nets around your bed at night.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for slather
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slather
Verb
-
But the pigment and gum are largely invisible, because harding and Upkett smeared them with white paint used by the Carnegie Museum to cover its walls.—
Alex Greenberger,
ARTnews.com,
12 May 2026
-
The Orbánists first ignored them, then smeared them.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
Noun
-
The iPhone maker isn’t spending gobs of cash in the race to expand AI computing capacity, instead partnering with Google to power artificial intelligence features.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
6 Mar. 2026
-
There are gobs of money to be made selling enterprise software, but dulling the impact of AI is also a useful feint.—
Josh Tyrangiel,
The Atlantic,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
When Betts landed on the 10-day IL on April 5 with an oblique strain, the Dodgers elected to platoon the middle infield but anointed Alex Freeland the starting second baseman.—
Katie Woo,
New York Times,
11 May 2026
-
Lewer wasn’t the only prizewinner anointed at the ceremony.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Young vandals have been suspected in a slew of subway thefts in recent months.—
Evan Simko-Bednarski,
New York Daily News,
14 May 2026
-
Neighbors shared a slew of security camera footage from various incidents, showing masked suspects approaching their homes and stealing packages, taking things from truck beds and breaking into mailboxes.—
Zach Boetto,
CBS News,
14 May 2026
Verb
-
Wet the stained area with water, dab it with rubbing alcohol, and blot the carpet.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
-
Simply rub the cut side of the tomato on your fingers or dab some of the juice onto your hands.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Given out for free in streetside orange boxes and in stacks at cafés, The L was stylish and well-informed, highlighting locally famous names and haunts, and establishing a sense of shared community for the corridor.—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Instants photos captured by others will also appear in the mini stack of photos, accessible in Instagram's Direct Messenger.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
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
Noun
-
Termites will always search for new sources of damp wood, so aside from chemical treatment, the best way to prevent an infestation is to avoid leaks and reduce moisture in your home, as well as avoid damp wood outside, like rotting stumps and firewood piles.—
Dan Simms,
USA Today,
12 May 2026
-
Even actor and Chiefs superfan Eric Stonestreet joined the pile-on.—
Paloma Chavez,
PEOPLE,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Slather.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slather. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
