as in to stain
to make dirty
she accidentally smudged her collar with the lipstick
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
the president's spouse must not have the slightest smudge of scandal
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smudge
Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Then move on to large appliance fronts—specifically, those stainless steel fridges and ovens that are easily smudged.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
The formula uses smudge-proof tubing polymers that wrap around each lash and hold up through long days without flaking or smudging.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Verb
Many Catholics will attend a mass where the priests will smudge ashes on their foreheads in the shape of a cross.
—Julia Gomez, USA Today, 18 Feb. 2026
Then move on to large appliance fronts—specifically, those stainless steel fridges and ovens that are easily smudged.
—Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
To make your windows sparkle, make sure there are no smudges obscuring the spring sunlight.
—Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 2 Apr. 2026
The formula uses smudge-proof tubing polymers that wrap around each lash and hold up through long days without flaking or smudging.
—Lily Wohlner, Allure, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudge
Verb
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Additional surveillance footage showed Marcelin in his building's laundry room cleaning a kitchen mat that appears stained with blood, according to prosecutors.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s a purity here, the course free from the taint of bureaucracy governing so much of the academy.—
Peter Wayne Moe,
Longreads,
26 Mar. 2026
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So long-reaching was the taint of that shame, Kentucky’s Bill Spivey died in Costa Rica, a practical exile after he not only was run out of the college game, he was banned from the NBA, too.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Spot Clean Stains For sweat stains, urine or spills, blot the area with a clean cloth and a mild cleaning solution.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
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The broad scenario is one in which Iran is, at best, a minor blot in the rearview mirror as America’s interests move elsewhere.—
Fintan O’Toole,
The New York Review of Books,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The benches are blackened with age, strewn with tools.—
Tim Parks,
New Yorker,
11 Apr. 2026
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Juicy, whole lobster served grilled or blackened is best, though the menu at this famous haunt features every possible iteration of the dish.—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudge. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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