as in smearing
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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Recent Examples of slathering
In true TikTok fashion, the ingredient has now been rebranded as an overnight beauty ritual, with creators slathering on opaque layers of the chalky paste in pursuit of calmer, clearer, supposedly glowier skin by morning.
—
Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Chef John Trujillo was slathering the filets, all 22 of them, in a marinade in preparation to be grilled on cedar planks as part of the restaurant’s family meal.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
And the millennial in me that grew up slathering glitter all over her limbs is rejoicing.
—Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 30 Apr. 2026
Safe to say—the sporty girlies are slathering on Supergoop year-round to protect their skin.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
Look at him carrying his baby to the park, to the market, to the playground; tying a bonnet to her head; slathering her plump pink arms with organic sunblock.
—Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
First, there is no way any president can avoid the lens of scrutiny, whether by artists or cameramen, whether slathering a right hand in wet plaster or gummy concealer.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
Senior Writer Meghan Overdeep lives at high altitude and swears by slathering Aquaphor Healing Ointment on her hands and lips each night, along with O'Keeffe's for Healthy Feet Foot Cream.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The people who faithfully kept slathering it on their burgers are the story.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Tatiana Dias, Vogue, 29 May 2026
Chef John Trujillo was slathering the filets, all 22 of them, in a marinade in preparation to be grilled on cedar planks as part of the restaurant’s family meal.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 22 May 2026
And the millennial in me that grew up slathering glitter all over her limbs is rejoicing.
—Gina Vaynshteyn, StyleCaster, 30 Apr. 2026
Safe to say—the sporty girlies are slathering on Supergoop year-round to protect their skin.
—Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 8 Apr. 2026
Look at him carrying his baby to the park, to the market, to the playground; tying a bonnet to her head; slathering her plump pink arms with organic sunblock.
—Daniel Smith, The Atlantic, 27 Feb. 2026
First, there is no way any president can avoid the lens of scrutiny, whether by artists or cameramen, whether slathering a right hand in wet plaster or gummy concealer.
—Harold Holzer, New York Daily News, 8 Feb. 2026
Senior Writer Meghan Overdeep lives at high altitude and swears by slathering Aquaphor Healing Ointment on her hands and lips each night, along with O'Keeffe's for Healthy Feet Foot Cream.
—Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 6 Feb. 2026
The people who faithfully kept slathering it on their burgers are the story.
—Joe Rexrode, New York Times, 16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slathering
Verb
-
This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 June 2026
-
While being held at the Independence Police Department’s detention unit, Ashley allegedly damaged the inside of a cell by smearing feces and blood on the walls and floor.—
Kansas City Star,
Kansas City Star,
19 May 2026
Verb
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But there is a distinction, Kutwala said, between flying flags from one’s own property and daubing paint across the town.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Slathering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slathering. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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