smear

20 synonyms for smear, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

spot

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

stain blur slander

Rare, literary or technical

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

blot slur sully smudge defame daub smirch smutch asperse besmirch cytosmear denigrate malignment calumniate vilification cytologic smear

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily.

“She smeared sunscreen across her shoulders.”

spot stain blur slander blot slur sully smudge defame daub smirch smutch asperse besmirch cytosmear denigrate malignment calumniate vilification cytologic smear

2. noun

A false, damaging claim meant to harm someone's reputation.

“The politician dismissed the story as a smear.”

daub smudge vilification stain blot slur malignment smirch spot cytosmear

How to use smear

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

smear campaign smear tactics smear test smear grease on

Etymology

From Old English smerian, "to rub with grease or oil," related to German schmieren and the word "schmear."

Full origin of smear →

Frequently asked questions

What does “smear” mean?

The word “smear” means to spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily. In plain terms, to spread something messily across a surface, or to attack someone's reputation with false claims.

How do you pronounce “smear”?

“Smear” is pronounced smeer (/smiɚ/ in IPA).

How do you use “smear” in a sentence?

Here is “smear” used in a sentence: “She smeared sunscreen across her shoulders.”

What part of speech is “smear”?

Depending on how it is used, “smear” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “smear” come from?

The word “smear” comes from Old English. From Old English smerian, "to rub with grease or oil," related to German schmieren and the word "schmear.".

Is “smear” a common word?

“Smear” is an uncommon word in modern English.

How many meanings does “smear” have?

“Smear” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to spread a soft or sticky substance across a surface, often messily.

People also searched

spot stain blur slander smirch malignment cytosmear smutch denigrate asperse smudge defame

Nearby words

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