as in defamation
the making of false statements that damage another's reputation
this smearing has got to stop, or the voters will conclude that there's absolutely no one worth voting for
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in coating
to rub an oily or sticky substance over
the toddler gleefully smeared her hair and face with maple syrup
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in libeling
to make untrue and harmful statements about
he is willing to smear his opponent if doing so would win the election
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of smearing
Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
Whereas the initial narrowband signal might have a strong power across just a few frequencies, the smearing spreads that power across more frequencies, reducing the strength of the signal.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.
—PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
George Harris, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The pigment lasts all day without smearing.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
Mullin did not apologize for his remarks and instead accused Paul of smearing his character.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Micron has come a long way since its humble founding nearly half a century ago in the basement of a Boise dental office, where sedative gas wafted through the floorboards and an early executive used a hair dryer to keep the company’s logo from smearing off its chips.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Anderson has countersued and accused Burkle of smearing his reputation amid a separate business dispute.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
When smearing peanut butter on bread, the robot watches the knife deflect down and crush the bread and judges forces from that.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 2 Mar. 2026
Instead of unsuccessfully trying to wipe off the dust buildup that has turned sticky with a damp cloth and only smearing it around, Goo Gone breaks down the tacky oils for complete and effortless removal.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
This dedication centers Sophie and Benedict’s second meet-cute, when the two cross paths at a country house where Benedict is attending a party and where Sophie is now working, after being unable to find a position in London thanks to her stepmother smearing her reputation.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
So far, several celebrities have been tied to the smearing.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 30 Apr. 2026
Whereas the initial narrowband signal might have a strong power across just a few frequencies, the smearing spreads that power across more frequencies, reducing the strength of the signal.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 8 Mar. 2026
Black inks for the same printers tend to have less obvious smearing than the color ink, and many smear just enough to see a smudge, without harming readability.
—PC Magazine, 30 Sep. 2025
If the smearing continues, look for a position elsewhere.
—Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
In 2012, the gossip site Gawker, infamous for smearing conservative activists, published embarrassing footage of Hogan that had been secretly recorded and had no legitimate news value.
—George Harris, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2026
The pigment lasts all day without smearing.
—Catharine Malzahn, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
Mullin did not apologize for his remarks and instead accused Paul of smearing his character.
—Andrea Castillo, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026
Micron has come a long way since its humble founding nearly half a century ago in the basement of a Boise dental office, where sedative gas wafted through the floorboards and an early executive used a hair dryer to keep the company’s logo from smearing off its chips.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 11 Mar. 2026
Anderson has countersued and accused Burkle of smearing his reputation amid a separate business dispute.
—Sacbee.com, 6 Mar. 2026
When smearing peanut butter on bread, the robot watches the knife deflect down and crush the bread and judges forces from that.
—Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 2 Mar. 2026
Instead of unsuccessfully trying to wipe off the dust buildup that has turned sticky with a damp cloth and only smearing it around, Goo Gone breaks down the tacky oils for complete and effortless removal.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 25 Feb. 2026
This dedication centers Sophie and Benedict’s second meet-cute, when the two cross paths at a country house where Benedict is attending a party and where Sophie is now working, after being unable to find a position in London thanks to her stepmother smearing her reputation.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 30 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smearing
Noun
-
Repeatedly, these men fail, largely because posts like Rajala’s are considered opinions protected by the First Amendment and defamation laws in states like Illinois.—
Ashley Belanger,
ArsTechnica,
18 May 2026
-
Baldoni, 42, denied her claims and filed a countersuit accusing Lively and her husband, Ryan Reynolds, of defamation, igniting a public back-and-forth that was set to culminate in a federal trial beginning May 18.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Verb
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In the past few weeks, massive amounts of sargassum have washed up on the shores of the Yucatan Peninsula, coating beaches in Cancun, Mexico.—
Bill Kearney,
Sun Sentinel,
22 May 2026
-
Because coating formulas are proprietary, companies are not required to disclose every ingredient used in the blend.—
Ryan Brennan,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
The first and third items in this indictment are indisputable; the second is a complicated and qualified matter; and the last two are libels, still part of popular legend no matter how often disproved by serious biography.—
Thomas Mallon,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
As media and society continued to evolve, some of these ideas—such as libel law revisions and expanded freedom of expression—gained ground through various means.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
18 May 2026
Verb
-
But bond markets are painting a different picture — and the growing divergence is ringing alarm bells for some investors.—
Chloe Taylor,
CNBC,
20 May 2026
-
McCra claimed that this was caused by his sister painting birdhouses red.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
Verb
-
Shocking lies Within hours, the administration was slandering her.—
The Week UK,
TheWeek,
17 Jan. 2026
-
And then the media was slandering our dad’s name and reputation after a lifetime of being a fairly wholesome guy.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
31 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
But there is a distinction, Kutwala said, between flying flags from one’s own property and daubing paint across the town.—
Olivia Kemp,
CNN Money,
29 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Underneath it, the authors of the flyer listed a few dubious talking points maligning immigrants.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Angel went for a respectful middle-of-the-road jab — complimenting her parenting and resilience, but maligning her for being petty.—
Shamira Ibrahim,
Vulture,
5 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Boards with deep knife grooves, cracks, or staining should be replaced because damaged areas can continue to trap bacteria even after cleaning.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
17 May 2026
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Worse yet, the black olive tree caterpillar also feeds on these galls caused by the mites, accelerating staining through its droppings.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smearing. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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