1
as in to paint
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
he is willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slander
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smear
Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
As if this dramatic moment was not enough, ACT-UP member Mark Chaney took it upon himself to splash and smear several vials of a red liquid onto the door of the City Council chambers.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
For women, these include cervical smears, commonly known as pap smears, in which healthcare practitioners vaginally insert a clamp-like tool called a speculum and then use a swab to extract cells from the cervix.
—Cat Wang, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Verb
Like Mamdani and other politicians that have held a steady opposition to Cuomo, Lander has spent plenty of time smearing the former governor.
—Ross O'Keefe, The Washington Examiner, 8 June 2025
As if this dramatic moment was not enough, ACT-UP member Mark Chaney took it upon himself to splash and smear several vials of a red liquid onto the door of the City Council chambers.
—Patrick Salland, Kansas City Star, 5 June 2025
Noun
This vile smear wrongly demonizes advocates like me and trivializes the Holocaust, chilling free expression.
—Naperville Sun, Chicago Tribune, 9 May 2025
For women, these include cervical smears, commonly known as pap smears, in which healthcare practitioners vaginally insert a clamp-like tool called a speculum and then use a swab to extract cells from the cervix.
—Cat Wang, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for smear
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smear
Verb
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Those numbers paint a broad picture but ignore myriad personal stories and struggles.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
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Each bottle is painted with one of six native Mexican species—the axolotl, jaguar, monarch butterfly, dwarf jay, Tamaulipas owl, or Mexican wolf that are assigned randomly for each purchase—houses an extra añejo that rests for three years in both new American and European oak.—
Jillian Dara,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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In 2022, Manhattan Federal Judge Jed Rakoff, who presided over both trials, decided The Times was not liable for defamation while jurors were deliberating, that the error amounted to unfortunate editorializing but not libel.—
Molly Crane-Newman,
New York Daily News,
22 Apr. 2025
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As a new, inexpensive Chevrolet appeared in 1927 and The Dearborn Independent was sued for libeling a number of Jewish businessmen, Ford threw in the towel and apologized.—
George Pendle,
airmail.news,
15 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The suit, filed this week in Dallas County District court, accuses Gateway Church founder Robert Morris and others of libel, malice, defamation, slander, failure to report, civil conspiracy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and unjust enrichment.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
13 June 2025
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Seminole County commissioners Tuesday unanimously approved a settlement to have the Supervisor of Elections Office pay its former general counsel $150,000 to drop it from a slander lawsuit.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
10 June 2025
Noun
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Most food stains can be cleaned with dish detergent and water.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
14 June 2025
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Unfortunately, both alcohol and peroxide can irritate gums and cause gum sensitivity—this formulation uses a combination of natural enzymes and gentle oxidizers to lift surface stains on the teeth and prevent new ones from forming.—
Daley Quinn,
Glamour,
11 June 2025
Verb
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Add 1/2 cup of warm dressing and toss to coat the ingredients evenly.—
Philip Potempa,
Chicago Tribune,
20 June 2025
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Sear in a hot pan coated in a thin layer of oil until the meat is browned to your liking.—
Karla Walsh,
Better Homes & Gardens,
19 June 2025
Verb
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Terrible policy Perhaps Gabbard is sounding the alarm to discredit efforts — including a sanctions bill held up in Congress pending a green light from Trump — to pressure Putin into a meaningful negotiation on ending his war.—
Marc Champion,
Mercury News,
13 June 2025
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The irony is that the FTC is blind to the meaning of such substantial investment from Amazon, the very investment that thoroughly discredits the FTC’s case.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
9 June 2025
Noun
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Leave it to Strangers With Candy’s Colbert to find and exploit every innuendo one stumbles upon whilst cooking a roast.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
7 Feb. 2025
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To the relief of everybody, weeks of rumors/subterfuge/smokescreens/innuendo come to a merciful end.—
Jim Reineking,
USA Today,
25 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The white smudge on his nose looked like a bolt of lightning, so Lin named him Boom, after the English sound for thunder.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
6 June 2025
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The smudge was visible because Lively wore her hair down and parted it to one side.—
Ingrid Vasquez,
People.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smear. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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