as in staining
to make dirty
she accidentally smudged her collar with the lipstick
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Recent Examples of smudging
Valentinetti was tasked with smudging out his work, which has left a ghost-like white blob on the angel’s body.
—
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara & Primer Duo Tarte’s Tartelette Tubing Mascara & Primer Duo is an easy win for anyone who wants long, fluttery lashes without smudging or flaking.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 18 Dec. 2025
Pour a bit more over the stain after smudging, then leave it on for about 20 minutes.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
The water-resistant formula resists smudging and transferring under the eyes, without the impossible-to-remove downside of a waterproof mascara.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Always set your glasses face up on surfaces to avoid scratching or smudging the lenses.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
An extra help is lip pencil, which can be useful to outline the contour of the mouth and avoid smudging.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2025
Morelo recounted hateful reactions to his art, including people smudging out and scribbling over his spots.
—Max Bacall , Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Rather than smudging black shadow under her eyes, Carpenter drew a precise line in her waterline and added a baby wing on the outer corners of her lids.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 5 Feb. 2026
Tarte Tartelette Tubing Mascara & Primer Duo Tarte’s Tartelette Tubing Mascara & Primer Duo is an easy win for anyone who wants long, fluttery lashes without smudging or flaking.
—Jennifer Hussein, Allure, 18 Dec. 2025
Pour a bit more over the stain after smudging, then leave it on for about 20 minutes.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
The water-resistant formula resists smudging and transferring under the eyes, without the impossible-to-remove downside of a waterproof mascara.
—Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 8 Oct. 2025
Always set your glasses face up on surfaces to avoid scratching or smudging the lenses.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Oct. 2025
An extra help is lip pencil, which can be useful to outline the contour of the mouth and avoid smudging.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 26 Sep. 2025
Morelo recounted hateful reactions to his art, including people smudging out and scribbling over his spots.
—Max Bacall , Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2025
Rather than smudging black shadow under her eyes, Carpenter drew a precise line in her waterline and added a baby wing on the outer corners of her lids.
—Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudging
Verb
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As those natural oils break down, the wood may become dry, dull, and more prone to cracking or staining.—
Jessica Safavimehr,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Another option is to use a straw for drinking the liquid, which can help bypass the teeth and prevent staining.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
High-Heat-Safe Alternatives While enameled cast-iron cookware is excellent to use for braising, roasting, baking, or gentle stovetop cooking, certain high heat applications like searing steak or blackening fish are best done in other types of pans, like traditional cast iron or stainless steel.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
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Each footstep sent up clouds of dust and ash, coating everything, including my mouth and teeth, in fine grit, blackening my snot and saliva.—
River Selby
August 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.—
Adam Roy,
Outside,
28 Dec. 2025
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Amazon shoppers are also going after this top-selling nonstick frying pan that’s great for eggs, chicken breasts, and other hard-to-flip foods, as well as this immersion blender that can churn soups and sauces into a creamy texture without dirtying another vessel.—
Clara McMahon,
PEOPLE,
28 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Now Rob is messing with another one of Candiace’s friends, and Candiace is ready to blow up the whole turret over it.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
4 Feb. 2026
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Genetic engineering took his fancy, but Hassan’s father didn’t like the idea of messing with God’s creation.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smudging.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudging. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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