smear

[smɪə]

[smiɚ]

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smeared - smear

A smear is a messy stain or mark that has been spread around.

When we say something is being smeared, it's often about information or ideas. We might talk about how the news media can sometimes smear a person by spreading false rumors about them. It's like when you accidentally spill food on your shirt and the stain spreads – it gets bigger and harder to clean up! In politics, politicians' opponents might try to smear their reputations with negative ads or accusations that aren't true. We also use "smear" to describe something as being too casual or lacking in dignity – for example, if a politician shows up to an important meeting looking sloppy, it's like they're smearing the seriousness of the occasion.

How common is "smear"?

Word smear is considered uncommon in modern English.
It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

noun

A mark made by smearing.
Example: This detergent cleans windows without leaving smears.
Any of various forms of distortion that make a signal harder to see or hear.
A Pap smear.
Example: I'm going to the doctor's this afternoon for a smear.
A false attack.
A maneuver in which the shoe is placed onto the holdless rock, and the friction from the shoe keeps it in contact
A rough glissando in jazz music.

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Pap smearPap teststreak

verb

To spread (a substance, especially one that colours or is dirty) across a surface by rubbing.
Example: The artist smeared paint over the canvas in broad strokes.
To have a substance smeared on (a surface).
Example: She smeared her lips with lipstick.
To damage someone's reputation by slandering, misrepresenting, or otherwise making false accusations about an individual, their statements, or their actions.
Example: The opposition party attempted to smear the candidate by spreading incorrect and unverifiable rumors about their personal behavior.
To become spread by smearing.
Example: The paint is still wet — don't touch it or it will smear.
To climb without using footholds, using the friction from the shoe to stay on the wall.

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coatcoverlayerspread

Real examples of "smeared" in context

Cillian Murphy on Christopher Nolan and playing Oppenheimer

Interview

the velocity of the payload will become so great space and time will become smeared together.

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