as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
this smearing has got to stop, or the voters will conclude that there's absolutely no one worth voting for
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in coating
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in libelling
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
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of smearing
PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
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, 19 Oct. 2025
Elsewhere, Mussolini’s goons beat to death a Catholic member of Parliament who refused to bend, the blood from his face and hands smearing the alley wall like stigmata.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
After smearing Tylenol, the president's unscripted remarks quickly veered into an incoherent rant linking vaccines to autism as well.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Ciarlo has been a beauty aficionado from her early age of sneaking into her mother's makeup drawer and smearing Joker-esque lipstick on her face.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.
—PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
The little brother is still contentedly working on his painting, dipping his brush into his pots and then smearing it across the paper.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
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, 19 Oct. 2025
Elsewhere, Mussolini’s goons beat to death a Catholic member of Parliament who refused to bend, the blood from his face and hands smearing the alley wall like stigmata.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
After smearing Tylenol, the president's unscripted remarks quickly veered into an incoherent rant linking vaccines to autism as well.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Ciarlo has been a beauty aficionado from her early age of sneaking into her mother's makeup drawer and smearing Joker-esque lipstick on her face.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smearing
Noun
-
The latter defendant has already stood trial alongside Rey in September 2024 on defamation charges brought by Brigitte Macron and her brother Jean-Michel Trogneux.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Atkinson sued Noll for defamation but lost the suit.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
How To Get Rid Of Grease Stains For really oily, greasy stains, start by coating them with a layer of cornstarch or baking soda to soak up some of the grease.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
-
Our diamonds are a polycrystalline coating no more than a couple of micrometers thick.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
20 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Just look at the amounts that news organizations are paying for libel insurance.—
David Wingrave,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Oct. 2025
-
Jim talked me through the legal complexities of both Peltier’s case and the libel suits.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Construction crews are currently painting, installing fixtures, cabinetry and the ceiling grid, and will soon lay the carpeting.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
24 Oct. 2025
-
In one photo, Dreyer could be seen painting an olive green room's walls white with the help of her 3-year-old son, Russell.—
Hannah Sacks,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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
Verb
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And slandering council members, who publicly supported Madigan before Khadija Walker was nominated, is disrespectful and insulting.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
11 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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The researchers hope to develop a version that's safe, pleasant-tasting and suitable for large-scale production, without the drawbacks of current treatments like tooth staining, tartar buildup and taste changes in the mouth.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Defense attorneys have also decried violations of fair-trial rights, saying that the prosecutor in the cases has sought to influence the jury pool by maligning those charged.—
LAUREN CARASIK,
Foreign Affairs,
22 Feb. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Smearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smearing. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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