1
as in to paint
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
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2
as in to libel
to make untrue and harmful statements about
he is willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slander
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Examples of smear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2024
Anti-Israel protesters vandalize UNC Chapel Hill chancellor's office, smear red paint on building
A group of anti-Israel agitators vandalized the office of UNC Chapel Hill's chancellor, with multiple protesters smearing red paint and writing swear words on the building.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 2 Sep. 2024
Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2024
The 10 Best Leather Couches of 2024 for Every Style
Harper minimized the stone fireplace’s rustic appearance with a coat of German smear, a finish achieved by spreading mortar on a masonry surface like brick or stone.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smear 
Verb
Atta said security footage shows Ninham squirting black paint over the mural then smearing it around with her hands.
—Sophie Carson, Journal Sentinel, 13 Sep. 2024
Anti-Israel protesters vandalize UNC Chapel Hill chancellor's office, smear red paint on building
A group of anti-Israel agitators vandalized the office of UNC Chapel Hill's chancellor, with multiple protesters smearing red paint and writing swear words on the building.
—Audrey Conklin, Fox News, 2 Sep. 2024
Noun
The principles underlying the Trump-Vance smear of Haitian immigrants can be found in Nazi-era antisemitic propaganda, columnist Michael Hiltzik writes.
—Ryan Fonseca, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 2024
The 10 Best Leather Couches of 2024 for Every Style
Harper minimized the stone fireplace’s rustic appearance with a coat of German smear, a finish achieved by spreading mortar on a masonry surface like brick or stone.
—Kathy Barnes, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smear
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'smear.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smear. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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