# smudge

/ˈsmədʒ/ (US) · /smˈʌdʒ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/smudge
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. a smear or dirty mark

noun · CEFR B2

a dirty mark or spot on a surface, often made by rubbing it with your finger.

For teachers: a blurred or smeared blemish on a surface, typically caused by accidental rubbing or contact with a soiling agent.

- There was a dark smudge of ink on his cheek after he finished writing.
- The forensic team identified a faint smudge of grease on the door handle, which suggested the intruder had been wearing work gloves.

### 2. to blur or smear

verb · CEFR B2

to make a mark messy or blurry by rubbing it.

For teachers: to obscure or blur a mark, drawing, or text by rubbing it; often used for wet ink or charcoal.

- Be careful not to smudge the ink before it is completely dry.
- The artist used his thumb to smudge the charcoal lines, creating a softer shadow effect along the jawline of the portrait.

### 3. to soil or make dirty

verb · CEFR B2

to make something dirty by getting marks on it.

For teachers: to soil or stain a surface with a dirty substance.

- The children managed to smudge their clean white shirts with mud.
- Exhaust fumes from the heavy traffic had begun to smudge the white marble of the historic monument.

### 4. ritual smoke cleansing

verb · CEFR C1 · Technical

to burn dried herbs, like sage, to clean a room or person spiritually with smoke.

For teachers: to perform a ritual cleansing of a space or person by burning dried herbs, typically sage, and spreading the smoke.

- She decided to smudge the new house to clear out any negative energy.
- The practitioner began to smudge the room with white sage, following a tradition intended to purify the atmosphere before the ceremony.

Usage: Often used as an intransitive verb or with a direct object representing the space being cleansed.

### 5. smoke for insects or frost

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · American English

a smoky fire used to keep insects away or to protect plants from cold weather.

For teachers: a fire made of damp materials to produce dense smoke, used to repel insects or protect orchards from frost.

- The farmer lit a smudge in the field to keep the mosquitoes away from the cattle.
- During the unexpected cold snap, the citrus growers maintained a constant smudge to prevent the frost from settling on the delicate blossoms.

## Examples

- There is a smudge on the window that I need to clean.
- The child left a large smudge of chocolate on the kitchen table after eating his snack.
- The photographer had to carefully retouch the image to remove a smudge that had appeared on the lens during the long exposure.

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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.