# smear

/ˈsmɪɹ/ (US) · /smˈiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/smear
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. to spread a substance

verb · CEFR B2

to rub a soft or oily substance across a surface.

For teachers: to spread a viscous, oily, or dirty substance over a surface by rubbing.

- The child managed to smear peanut butter all over the kitchen table.
- The artist used his thumb to smear the charcoal across the paper, creating a soft shadow effect that gave the portrait depth.

### 3. to become blurred

verb · CEFR B2

to become messy or hard to see because the ink or paint has been rubbed.

For teachers: to become blurred or indistinct through rubbing or spreading.

- Be careful not to touch the page, or the wet ink will smear.
- The rain caused the handwritten address on the envelope to smear, making it nearly impossible for the postman to read.

### 4. a dirty mark

noun · CEFR B2

a messy mark made by rubbing something like grease or ink.

For teachers: a blurred or spread mark made by a substance on a surface.

- There was a greasy smear on his glasses that made it hard to see.
- A dark smear of oil on the driveway indicated that the car's engine was beginning to leak.

### 5. medical sample

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a small amount of a substance, like blood, put on glass to be looked at in a lab.

For teachers: a sample of tissue or secretion spread thinly on a microscope slide for medical examination.

- The doctor took a blood smear to check for signs of infection.
- The technician prepared the cervical smear for analysis, ensuring the cells were spread evenly across the slide for clear viewing.

## Examples

- The child managed to smear jam all over the kitchen table.
- The candidate's opponents tried to smear his reputation by leaking old, out-of-context emails to the press.
- The artist used a palette knife to smear thick layers of oil paint across the canvas, creating a textured effect that blurred the boundaries between light and shadow.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.