slather

1 of 2

noun

slath·​er ˈsla-t͟hər How to pronounce slather (audio)
: a great quantity
often used in plural

slather

2 of 2

verb

slathered; slathering ˈsla-t͟hə-riŋ How to pronounce slather (audio)
ˈslat͟h-riŋ

transitive verb

1
: to use or spend in a wasteful or lavish manner : squander
2
a
: to spread thickly or lavishly
slathered sunscreen on her skin
b
: to spread something thickly or lavishly on
slathered her skin with sunscreen

Examples of slather in a Sentence

Verb We ate lobster slathered with butter.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Instead: a night of marination in soy sauce, maple syrup, salt, pepper and garlic, then a pat dry, a slather of mayonnaise and an hour and a half in a 200-degree oven, until the roast’s internal temperature was around 110 degrees. Sam Sifton, New York Times, 24 Jan. 2025 Brush your dipping oil over small pieces of bread, toast ‘em, slather on some chèvre, and drizzle with a bit of honey. Abigail Wilt, Southern Living, 30 Dec. 2024
Verb
Named oh-so appropriately, cheese dreams are pillowy bites of bread slathered in butter, topped with a generous layer of sharp Cheddar cheese, and toasted to golden, crispy perfection. Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 8 Mar. 2025 To take it a step further, buy a bag of prepared breadsticks, slather them with garlic butter, and warm them up in the oven for your own warm breadstick side. Jessica Saari Christensen, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slather

Word History

Etymology

Noun

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun

1843, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1846, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of slather was in 1843

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slather.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slather. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on slather

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!