1
as in paints
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 libels
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
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Recent Examples of smears
Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!
—The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
This chilling, starkly beautiful ambient piece draws Nebraska’s marginal whispers to the forefront and smears them across the picture plane.
—Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!
—The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smears
Verb
-
The data actually paints a surprisingly hopeful picture of humankind, proving that our baseline is a profound desire to understand the world and help each other.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 May 2026
-
The map sequence above paints a vivid picture of Irish language retreat.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Photos showed large, blue stains on the counter and floor, indicating blood had been cleaned from those areas.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
-
Pre-treat stains on your oven mitts and throw them in the washing machine in warm or hot water with the towels.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
6 May 2026
Verb
-
Ngo coats the nail with a matte primer, which creates a smooth base, before buffing eye shadow across the surface with a nail sponge.—
Annie Blay-Tettey,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Algae coats the native eelgrass.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There is nothing worse than sitting down to watch a television show or movie, only to realize there are smudges on your flat-screen TV.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
-
For the British Crown, such frontiers were smudges on the edge of the map.—
Daniel Immerwahr,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
Termini adds that, contrary to DraftKings’ insinuations, the NCAA’s deal with Genius Sports contains various restrictions on trademark use.—
Michael McCann,
Sportico.com,
26 Mar. 2026
-
The feud escalated further in February, when Owens launched a multi-part series targeting Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, delving into her family background and advancing insinuations about her role in his death that were widely condemned across the conservative spectrum.—
Kevin Dolak,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The songs spread outward from Morris’ small voice like paper towel blots.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
In a city that continually anoints anoints new noteworthies in the hospitality space, The Connaught remains one of London’s long-lasting greats.—
Katharine Sohn,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
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The episode officially anoints a new captain for the 118 — and sees Harry considering a life fighting fires.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
14 Nov. 2025
Noun
-
Amid aspersions and attack ads, the pair nearly came to blows at a community debate.—
Dakota Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
11 May 2026
-
Not Calvin Klein casting gay aspersions!—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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