tarring

verb

present participle of tar
as in smearing

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarring
  1. smearing
  2. dirtying
  3. besmirching
  4. sullying
  5. polluting
  6. soiling
  7. blurring
  8. blackening
Verb
  • At the entrance of Kollparay, Quispe pauses, taking my hands and smearing them with soil—the soil of her village.
    — Paola Miglio, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 June 2026
  • This will lead to smearing dust particles around instead of picking them up, which is where a wet cloth comes into play.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 5 June 2026
Definition of smearing
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • 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
Definition of dirtying
Verb
  • In her response, Hajdini cast Rana as manipulative and deceitful, intent on ruining her life and besmirching her employer through his sensational accusations.
    — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
  • Kelly believes a book like this hasn’t been written before because people weren’t ready to hear the truth – as though acknowledging these famous people’s complete life experiences would be besmirching their legacies.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 12 Jan. 2026
Definition of besmirching
Verb
  • The Spurs were a ghastly 11 of 46 from the perimeter, sullying an otherwise analytically pristine shot chart that included only four non-paint 2s.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 5 June 2026
  • And could a second season, sans the extraordinary talents of Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, deliver a story and themes in keeping with that brand, without sullying what was so deviously tricky about the original series and its tone?
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of sullying
Verb
  • Another study, published in Nature, found that Canadian wildfires in 2023, when more than 43 million acres burned, generated more emissions than the burning of fossil fuels in all but the three most-polluting countries.
    — Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • The solution is to support federal and state legislation that encourages lower-cost, less-polluting renewable energy to speed up the transition away from environmentally damaging fossil fuels.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 2026
Definition of polluting
Verb
  • Some passengers reported soiling themselves in their seats.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
  • Also on the good side of things is Sean Bell’s lanky Sir Robin, the not-quite-so-brave, armor-soiling knight.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of soiling
Verb
  • Instead of blurring them, those patches became more noticeable.
    — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026
  • This filter-like foundation also has a blurring effect that’s hydrating and brightening, leaving my skin looking fresh and plump—which is thanks to the niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and peptides infused into it.
    — Essence Wiley, InStyle, 14 July 2026
Definition of blurring
Verb
  • Check monthly for signs of shriveling (add moisture), blackening or softening (discard).
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • The Volcano fire was among blazes this week, blackening more than 100 acres in Riverside County.
    — Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of blackening
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

tarries (in)
tarring
tarry
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Cite this Entry

“Tarring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarring. Accessed 19 Jul. 2026.

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