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
-
Like his murals, for Norice the documentary paints an accurate picture of his life as an artist.—
Richard Guzman,
Daily News,
2 Mar. 2026
-
Hemani's lawyer, law professor Naz Ahmad of the City University of New York, paints a very different picture of her client.—
Nina Totenberg,
NPR,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Lip stains are in a moment of evolution.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Walk the inside perimeter and glance at ceilings or upper walls for any water stains, especially in attic spaces.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Add Parmesan, remaining 1 tablespoon butter and a squeeze of lemon juice; stir, adding more pasta water, a couple tablespoons at a time, if needed, until sauce is glossy and coats the pasta.—
John Metcalfe,
Mercury News,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Greek yogurt has a thick texture that coats the florets.—
Rebecca Firkser,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
If there are oily marks, smudges or water spots on your sensor, this method is particularly useful.—
Jacob Little,
Space.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Wear gloves to avoid leaving fingerprints and smudges.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Viral insinuations flare; corrections rarely travel as far.—
Seth Abramovitch,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Mar. 2026
-
And because Epstein cultivated as many high-profile contacts as possible, that leaves a whole lot of people potentially exposed to unfounded insinuations.—
Gilad Edelman,
The Atlantic,
7 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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
-
Not Calvin Klein casting gay aspersions!—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
19 Feb. 2026
-
But in the end, their stories were deeper than the aspersions cast upon them.—
Hunter Ingram,
Variety,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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