besmear

17 synonyms and 1 antonym for besmear, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To spread a sticky or dirty substance thickly over something.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

soil

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

slander

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

beray bedaub befile begrime beclart befoul besully bedirty besmirch befilth badmouth blacken backbite belibel asperse

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To spread a sticky or dirty substance thickly over something.

beray bedaub soil befile begrime beclart befoul besully bedirty besmirch befilth

2. verb

To damage someone's reputation.

befoul badmouth blacken backbite besmirch belibel asperse slander

Opposites

glorify

Etymology

Comes from Middle English *bismerwen, from Old English besmirwan, besmierwan ("to besmear"), equivalent to be- + smear. It is cognate with Dutch besmeren ("to besmear") and German beschmieren ("to besmear").

Full origin of besmear →

People also searched

soil slander bedaub backbite belibel besully befile begrime befilth asperse blacken glorify

Nearby words

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