as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
this smearing has got to stop, or the voters will conclude that there's absolutely no one worth voting for
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in coating
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in libeling
to make untrue and harmful statements about
he is willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of smearing
PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 6 Jan. 2026
Despite the controversy, most Glamour staffers can recall smearing on play makeup or stealing mommy’s moisturizer.
—Ariana Yaptangco, Glamour, 13 Nov. 2025
So actually, smearing their voices together and then doing other stuff in the computer made the perfect voice.
—Adam B. Vary, Variety, 10 Nov. 2025
The little brother is still contentedly working on his painting, dipping his brush into his pots and then smearing it across the paper.
—Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2025
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, 19 Oct. 2025
Elsewhere, Mussolini’s goons beat to death a Catholic member of Parliament who refused to bend, the blood from his face and hands smearing the alley wall like stigmata.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
After smearing Tylenol, the president's unscripted remarks quickly veered into an incoherent rant linking vaccines to autism as well.
—ArsTechnica, 24 Sep. 2025
Ciarlo has been a beauty aficionado from her early age of sneaking into her mother's makeup drawer and smearing Joker-esque lipstick on her face.
—Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.
—Verb
The vacuum cleaner has powerful suction, 8,000 Pa, and the mop cleans without sloshing and smearing water on the floor.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for smearing
Noun
-
In denying Bressington’s application, Judge William Alsup noted that the guitarist’s lawyers hedged on filing a defamation lawsuit.—
-
The Macrons have also filed a defamation suit in the United States against conservative influencer Candace Owens.—
Verb
-
David Motley, the city’s public relations director, said in a text that AkzoNobel purchased the Dexter Midland coating business in establishing its presence in Waukegan.—
-
Green Consider coating your walls with Benjamin Moore's versatile Palest Pistachio, says Watts.—
Noun
-
Earlier in December, Baldoni filed a $250 million libel lawsuit against The New York Times, in Los Angeles County Superior Court, over its explosive story detailing her alleged treatment on set.—
-
Steve Coogan has settled a libel claim over 2022’s The Lost King after a university academic sued over his depiction in the film.—
Verb
-
Lately, home decorators are painting walls, trim, and ceilings in one bold hue.—
-
The first segment of the book is devoted to Lucie and to painting a realistic portrait of an adventurous — if messy and impulsive — young woman.—
Verb
-
And then the media was slandering our dad’s name and reputation after a lifetime of being a fairly wholesome guy.—
-
Dos Passos left Spain, but Hemingway didn’t let up, slandering him in print for a good while after.—
Verb
-
But there is a distinction, Kutwala said, between flying flags from one’s own property and daubing paint across the town.—
Verb
-
Angel went for a respectful middle-of-the-road jab — complimenting her parenting and resilience, but maligning her for being petty.—
-
Defense attorneys have also decried violations of fair-trial rights, saying that the prosecutor in the cases has sought to influence the jury pool by maligning those charged.—
Verb
-
Holevich adds that cleaning these surfaces promptly will help prevent long-term staining and lingering odors.—
-
Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren't wiped up right away.—
Cite this Entry
“Smearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smearing. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share