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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of slathering
Kiehl's Crème de Corps likely needs little introduction—Allure editors have been slathering it on for decades.
—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 June 2026
For less than $20, the body lotion is certainly worth checking out (and slathering on from head to toe).
—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
InStyle,
19 June 2026
Bear in mind, however, that some things aren’t worth the risk, such as getting sunburned after slathering on old sunscreen or developing a rash from a skin serum that’s gone bad.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2026
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
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
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
23 June 2026
For less than $20, the body lotion is certainly worth checking out (and slathering on from head to toe).
—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
InStyle,
19 June 2026
Bear in mind, however, that some things aren’t worth the risk, such as getting sunburned after slathering on old sunscreen or developing a rash from a skin serum that’s gone bad.
—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2026
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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slathering
Verb
-
At the entrance of Kollparay, Quispe pauses, taking my hands and smearing them with soil—the soil of her village.
-
This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.
Verb
-
But there is a distinction, Kutwala said, between flying flags from one’s own property and daubing paint across the town.
Cite this Entry
“Slathering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slathering. Accessed 3 Jul. 2026.
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