smears 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of smear
1
as in paints
to rub an oily or sticky substance over the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup

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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

smears

2 of 2

noun

plural of smear
1
as in slanders

Related Words
2
as in stains

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Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of smears
Verb
Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026 The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Offshore dollar savings and onshore settlement demand are diverging, and the supply chart smears the two together. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 In other words, the show is a celebration of America’s 250th birthday, but one that smears a little cake on the country’s face. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 27 June 2026 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
  1. paints
  2. insinuations
  3. stains
  4. coats
  5. aspersions
  6. smudges
  7. anoints
  8. blots
Verb
  • The cups feature designs by Austin artist Avery Orendorf, who paints murals and graphics that highlight the state's diverse culture.
    — Maria Cortes Gonzalez, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
  • This paints a worrying picture for any merger between Sky and ITV.
    — Jake Kanter, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of paints
Noun
  • The insinuations of business hucksterism are one thing that could provoke him, more intimate details are another.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Coverage of the story dovetailed with a hail of memes and insinuations online that Crockett is a zealot or a pretend cowboy out of his depth.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of insinuations
Noun
  • The stoneware resists chips, scratches, and stains, and everything is dishwasher-safe for easy cleanup.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • From removing stubborn stains to softening scratchy towels, vinegar consistently tackles the problems that detergents and fabric softeners sometimes leave behind.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of stains
Verb
  • Bring to a boil over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 40 minutes.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Toss with pasta; if necessary, add remaining pasta water to create a light sauce that coats pasta.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of coats
Noun
  • Who might emerge as the provocateur of the Premier League touchline and who might cast dark aspersions in press conferences?
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Amid aspersions and attack ads, the pair nearly came to blows at a community debate.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Definition of aspersions
Noun
  • Live music has become almost as synonymous with the festival as smudges of chalk on fingers and faces, and attendees were dancing and enjoying the performances in the light heat of the early afternoon.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Compared with the thick smudges of white on the fan that Amélie is holding, or the broad, lush strokes of the background, the sleeve is fidgety.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of smudges
Verb
  • God prepares a table for the speaker despite the presence of his enemies, anoints his head with oil, and fills his cup to overflowing.
    — Frannie Comstock, Encyclopedia Britannica, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Analysis from data and tactics writer Conor O’Neill Every World Cup anoints a breakout star, a previously unheralded player who is catapulted into the spotlight.
    — David Ornstein, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of anoints
Noun
  • Dabbing the cloth in rubbing alcohol, working away the dirty blots on the glass, waiting for the haze in my head to focus, and a new line to come to me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • One of the few blots on last summer’s Leeds copybook.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Definition of blots

Browse Nearby Words

smearing
smears
smell
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Cite this Entry

“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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