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
Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
The ink had smudged in a few places.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
Towards the end of his night’s work, Gyokeres had a smudge of mud down his left thigh, was breathing hard, hands on his hips in the rain.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Verb
The workers’ uniforms are smudged with stains earned underneath a car, wrench in hand.
—Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026
The ink had smudged in a few places.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 2 Jan. 2026
Noun
The title of the 304-page book and its cover art, which depicts the traces of a woman beneath the smudges of makeup, hints at the layered story.
—Rosemary Feitelberg, Footwear News, 16 Jan. 2026
Towards the end of his night’s work, Gyokeres had a smudge of mud down his left thigh, was breathing hard, hands on his hips in the rain.
—Amy Lawrence, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for smudge
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudge
Verb
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Wearing kitchen gloves to keep your hands from staining, knead 7 oz.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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In testing on human teeth that were artificially stained with tea and coffee, the researchers found that a total of four hours of brushing showed visible whitening, while 12 total hours of brushing led to teeth that were nearly 50% whiter than those in a control group.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The taint of being part of the cheating 2017 Astros has worn off over the years, and Cubs fans are banging the drum for Bregman’s arrival, excited to have an offensive upgrade from Matt Shaw, who can still learn a lot from playing multiple positions and watching from the bench.—
Paul Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Jan. 2026
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And, from this week’s issue, Nicola Twilley’s reporting on another lingering effect of the wildfires—smoke taint that is ruining grapes and threatening California’s wine industry.—
Dana Goodyear,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
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When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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For ink and permanent marker stains, blot with a solvent like rubbing alcohol or acetone first.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
26 Jan. 2026
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If suede gets wet, blot it instantly and use a suede brush and hair dryer to dry it.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
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Signs of overfeeding include white crust on the pot or media, brown, scorched leaf tips, mushy or blackened roots, stunted growth, lack of blooms, and leaf drop.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
19 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smudge.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudge. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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