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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
  • People are smearing the electric-blue tincture on their face or drawing the concoction up in syringes.
    — Will Stone, NPR, 7 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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
  • Troubled by all the people besmirching the occupation, a group of agents formed a national trade group in 1908—the one eventually known as NAR.
    — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of besmirching
Verb
  • The two cars Bentley brought to Laguna Seca are the only two that have been built so far, and sullying either with a trip through the gravel or, worse yet, into a tire barrier, was definitely not on the agenda.
    — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 31 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of sullying
Verb
  • The latter regulation is the state’s backstop climate trading program that puts an ever-stricter cap on emissions across sectors and allows polluting businesses to buy and trade allowances to meet it.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Such plans are contrary to Indonesia’s promises to cut its use of coal, the most heavily polluting major fossil fuel and a significant source of planet-warming emissions.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of polluting
Verb
  • Brazzale says patients who are declining may worry about soiling themselves, losing their dignity, or being moved out of their home at the end.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • People are reportedly soiling themselves at Noah Kahan‘s concerts.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
Definition of soiling
Verb
  • Mercury opposes dreamy Neptune, blurring the line between genuine exhaustion and distraction.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The tight ends can get back to blurring the run and the pass, with Stafford at the controls and Kyren Williams and Corum wearing defenses down between the tackles.
    — Nate Atkins, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of blurring
Verb
  • Morawetz also points to baking and air-frying as favorite preparation methods, noting that charring or blackening from direct high-heat grilling can be linked to health risks.
    — Embry Roberts, Martha Stewart, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Check monthly for signs of shriveling (add moisture), blackening or softening (discard).
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 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 18 Sep. 2026.

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