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
The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!
—The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smears
Verb
-
The new book is evocative and paints an intimate portrait of the way Andres likes to eat, while telling stories of Spanish food culture through Andrés home cooking.—
Jamila Robinson,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 2025
-
Aileen Wuornos, in her own words Throughout the interview with Hirst, Wuornos paints herself as a victim, describing a rough childhood raised by her strict, devout Christian grandparents.—
Olivia B. Waxman,
Time,
30 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
For very stubborn food stains, Booth has had success with Scrub Daddy PowerPaste.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Garments with significant wear, damage and heavy stains, and all intimates are directed to end-of-use streams, including recycling, downcycling and responsible disposal.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
Stearic acid in the formula also coats hair in a light protective veil to prevent your color from fading.—
Mary Honkus,
Glamour,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Continue until the solution makes a paste and coats the entire surface of the tub.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
There’s nothing more frustrating than spending time cleaning glass surfaces only to end up with streaks, smudges, or cloudy residue.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
1 Nov. 2025
-
Just walking across them barefoot can leave smudges, and even clean shoes can leave visible marks.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Only when Mamdani appeared with him did opponents resurrect insinuations tying the imam to the 1993 World Trade Center bombing.—
Faisal Kutty,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Paul Thomas Anderon’s newest movie is very much a comedy, but Hall is mostly on hand during its graver political insinuations.—
Matthew Jacobs,
Vulture,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Swedish institution often anoints writers who metabolize their specific histories into memorable language that stretches beyond borders and governments, transcending regional particulars.—
Walt Hunter,
The Atlantic,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
And in mid-century America, there were so many aspersions to be cast!—
David Merritt Johns,
The Atlantic,
2 Nov. 2025
-
Their online parlance is punctuated by empty enthusiasms, vicious aspersions, and obvious hypocrisies that rarely matter.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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