1
a
: a viscous or sticky substance
b
: a spot made by or as if by an unctuous or adhesive substance
2
3
: a usually unsubstantiated charge or accusation against a person or organization
—often used attributively
a smear campaign
a smear job
smeared; smearing; smears
1
a
: to overspread with something unctuous, viscous, or adhesive : daub
smeared the paper with glue
b
: to spread over a surface
2
3
: to obliterate, obscure, blur, blend, wipe out, or defeat by or as if by smearing
smearer
noun
Synonyms
Examples of smear in a Sentence
Noun
The blood smear revealed malaria.
Verb
The children smeared the window with fingerprints.
She smeared jam on her toast.
Butter was smeared all over the counter.
Her mascara smeared when she cried.
Recent Examples on the Web
Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Here, two ob-gyns explain what a Pap smear entails and dispel some common misconceptions about the potentially life-saving test.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Rubbing will smear the mud and cause a bigger problem.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smear 
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Noun
Steel won by nearly 5 percent, demonstrating the political potency of Asian-on-Asian Communist smears.
—Yiyun Li, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Here, two ob-gyns explain what a Pap smear entails and dispel some common misconceptions about the potentially life-saving test.
—Chantelle Lee, TIME, 3 Oct. 2024
Verb
Lila’s makeup is smeared all over her face; the windows of the apartment are wide open, the wind rattling the empty rooms.
—Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 4 Nov. 2024
Rubbing will smear the mud and cause a bigger problem.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 28 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for smear
Dictionary Entries Near smear
Cite this Entry
“Smear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/smear. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
smear
2 of 2 verb1
a
: to spread with something oily or sticky
b
: to spread over a surface
2
a
: to stain, smudge, or dirty by or as if by smearing
b
: to harm the reputation of
3
: to blot out or blur by or as if by smearing
smearer
noun
Medical Definition
smear
1 of 2 noun
: material spread on a surface (as of a microscopic slide)
also
: a preparation made by spreading material on a surface see pap smear, vaginal smear
smear
2 of 2 transitive verb
: to prepare as a smear for microscopic examination : make a smear of
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