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
Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
After a few years straight of barely there bronzy eyes, soft blush, and overall clean-girl makeup, artists predict that spring 2026 will usher in an era of bold, smudged, and imperfect beauty looks.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Dripping glitter, shimmering adhesive crystals, dramatic slashes of eyeliner and smudges of eyeshadow—there was a playful, shifting experimentalism here, to signal the young characters’ changeability and ingenuity.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Verb
Amazon Charlotte Tilbury Exagger-Eyes Volume Mascara A mascara that’s guaranteed not to smudge your undereye is the crowning glory of anyone’s makeup collection.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026
After a few years straight of barely there bronzy eyes, soft blush, and overall clean-girl makeup, artists predict that spring 2026 will usher in an era of bold, smudged, and imperfect beauty looks.
—Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026
Noun
Wiping unsightly white smudges on your clothes with a sheet easily solves this wardrobe malfunction.
—Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Dripping glitter, shimmering adhesive crystals, dramatic slashes of eyeliner and smudges of eyeshadow—there was a playful, shifting experimentalism here, to signal the young characters’ changeability and ingenuity.
—Naomi Fry, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudge
Verb
-
On TikTok, short videos often show people traveling to Turkey to fix their uneven or stained teeth and transform their smiles.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Customize it by painting the wood a fun color or staining it for a rustic look.—
Sarah Lyon,
The Spruce,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Use Soap And Water Tackle any paint left on the carpet or rug by creating a soap and water solution with a few drops of soap, and continuing to blot.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
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Mix a mild detergent with water and gently blot stains with a soft cloth or sponge.—
Katie Cloyd,
Martha Stewart,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And one track prominently features a country singer, a drastic departure from the usual Fire-Toolz mélange of screensaver EDM, Hypercolor death metal, blackened new age, and copious other mutant genres that usually don’t mix.—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
8 May 2026
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The mosque is blackened and burned, the minaret split in two.—
Kat Lonsdorf,
NPR,
30 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudge. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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