1
as in paints
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in libels
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
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Recent Examples of smears
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025
Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists!
—The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
The five pieces offer, in turn, biomorphic hints of de Kooning, the ragged shapes of Clyfford Still, the bold geometries of Ellsworth Kelly, the paint smears of Gerhard Richter, and something that looks like toothpaste squeezed onto an orange peel.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for smears
Verb
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Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jane Smiley paints a vivid portrait of two complex, ambitious women trying to find their place in an uncertain time.—
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The report paints a vivid demographic profile of this group.—
Noun
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Snag it in black, white, green, blue, or maple or walnut wood stains in sizes ranging from 4 by 4 inches to 8 by 10 inches.—
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Additional Tips Avoid using hairspray to clean nail polish stains.—
Verb
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The onions should fall apart, creating a thick, rich sauce that coats the meat.—
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Further experiments revealed that the extracellular vesicles stopped senescence by using the extracellular matrix protein fibronectin, which coats their surfaces and then causes a release of enzymes that block the effects of oxidative stress which unleash senescence.—
Noun
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What To Know About Cleaning Stainless Steel Stainless steel easily shows off any fingerprints, smudges, or oils because of its reflective surface.—
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Vinegar is a fast, fume-free cleaner that cuts grease, smudges, and grime before guests arrive.—
Noun
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In a recent interview at the Charlotte Chess Center, Giannatos kept coming back to Kramnik and the effect the grandmaster’s insinuations seemed to have on Naroditsky’s psyche.—
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There are enough famous names, insinuations, and revelations that the messages are inherently newsworthy.—
Verb
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The episode officially anoints a new captain for the 118 — and sees Harry considering a life fighting fires.—
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The Swedish institution often anoints writers who metabolize their specific histories into memorable language that stretches beyond borders and governments, transcending regional particulars.—
Noun
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But in the end, their stories were deeper than the aspersions cast upon them.—
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And in mid-century America, there were so many aspersions to be cast!—
Cite this Entry
“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 14 Jan. 2026.
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