smear

verb
UK: /smɪər/
US: /smɪr/

  1. To spread a substance messily over a surface.

    1. Someone smeared mud on my car window this night.
    2. The child accidentally smeared chocolate all over his face and clothes.

  2. To damage someone's reputation by making false or negative statements.

    1. His opponents tried to smear his name during the election.
    2. The newspaper was accused of trying to smear a famous actor.

Synonyms

daub spread slur defame besmirch stain smudge sully
smear noun

  1. A mark or dirty substance that has been spread messily on a surface.

    1. There's a smear of jam on your cheek; clean it.
    2. The window had several smears on it from the children's dirty hands.

  2. An attempt to damage someone's reputation with false statements.

    1. The politician claimed the accusations were part of a smear campaign.
    2. The smear against him cost him the election despite his attempts to prove the claims were lies.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "smear" in English means: To spread a substance messily over a surface., To damage someone's reputation by making false or negative statements..

The phonetic transcription of "smear" is /smɪər/ in British English and /smɪr/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "smear": daub, spread, slur, defame, besmirch, stain, smudge, sully.

Example usage of "smear": "Someone smeared mud on my car window this night.". More examples on the page.