smears 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of smear
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

Relevance
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

smears

2 of 2

noun

plural of smear
1
as in slanders

Related Words
2
as in stains

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 smears
Verb
Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026 The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026 Offshore dollar savings and onshore settlement demand are diverging, and the supply chart smears the two together. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 In other words, the show is a celebration of America’s 250th birthday, but one that smears a little cake on the country’s face. — Ethan Shanfeld, Variety, 27 June 2026 This chilling, starkly beautiful ambient piece draws Nebraska’s marginal whispers to the forefront and smears them across the picture plane. — Sasha Geffen, Pitchfork, 10 Mar. 2026 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. — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 Teachers Union leader Randi Weingarten smears Trump voters as fascists! — The Hill, 1 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smears
  1. paints
  2. insinuations
  3. stains
  4. coats
  5. aspersions
  6. smudges
  7. anoints
  8. blots
Verb
  • August polling from Emerson College paints a tight race, with Paxton leading Talarico by 1 percentage point in a 47-46 split.
    — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Worley’s political action committee created two Adam Cervera websites, one that paints him as tied to Democrats and another that aligns him with Republicans.
    — Scott Travis, Sun Sentinel, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of paints
Noun
  • Ormund makes insinuations that his cousin is gay, which makes Ormund at once the most outwardly homophobic and sexist character in the show presently.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 July 2026
  • The singer laughed off illicit insinuations that have taken the internet by storm since video of the interview went viral.
    — Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 20 July 2026
Definition of insinuations
Noun
  • More specifically, 55 percent of ready-to-wear consumers note their frustrations with sweat stains.
    — Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The most common culprits for grout stains are spills, cleaning residue, and mold/mildew buildup.
    — Abid Haque, Architectural Digest, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of stains
Verb
  • Add the fresh corn, okra, and diced tomatoes, cooking until the tomatoes break down into a sauce that coats the tender vegetables.
    — Elizabeth Nelson, Southern Living, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The Mediterranean sun, at its apex, burns as white as the signature paint that coats most Mykonian homes.
    — Nick Remsen, Vogue, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of coats
Noun
  • Who might emerge as the provocateur of the Premier League touchline and who might cast dark aspersions in press conferences?
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Amid aspersions and attack ads, the pair nearly came to blows at a community debate.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026
Definition of aspersions
Noun
  • No matter what color or finish is in during a particular season, true high-net-worth nails will always be centered on cared-for cuticles, immaculate polish placement (no smudges, chips, or flooding), and minimalist or neutral designs.
    — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Be sure to clean up smudges with a cotton swab lightly dipped in makeup remover.
    — Micaela English, Glamour, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of smudges
Verb
  • Mercifully, the Global Spirits Masters anoints just one bottle its annual Tastemaster – the one bottle to rule them all.
    — Brad Japhe, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Every World Cup anoints a breakout star, a previously unheralded player who is catapulted into the spotlight.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Definition of anoints
Noun
  • Dabbing the cloth in rubbing alcohol, working away the dirty blots on the glass, waiting for the haze in my head to focus, and a new line to come to me.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 June 2026
  • One of the few blots on last summer’s Leeds copybook.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 26 May 2026
Definition of blots

Browse Nearby Words

smearing
smears
smell
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Smears.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smears. Accessed 22 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on smears

Nglish: Translation of smears for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of august

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

How to Pronounce the Trickiest Menu Items

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Do you 'say your piece' or 'say your peace'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 21

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Words from the 'Odyssey'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
alt-684346df967d5
Add A Letter Quiz Pick the letter that goes in the same spot in fou...
See All