smear meaning and definition

SMEAR noun

Definition of smear (noun)

1. slanderous defamation
   • synonyms: malignment, vilification
2. a thin tissue or blood sample spread on a glass slide and stained for cytologic examination and diagnosis under a microscope
   • synonyms: cytologic smear, cytosmear
3. a blemish made by dirt
   • "he had a smudge on his cheek"
   • synonyms: blot, daub, slur, smirch, smudge, spot
4. an act that brings discredit to the person who does it
   • "he made a huge blot on his copybook"
   • synonyms: blot, smirch, spot, stain

SMEAR verb

Definition of smear (verb)

1. stain by smearing or daubing with a dirty substance
2. make a smudge on; soil by smudging
   • synonyms: blur, smudge, smutch
3. cover (a surface) by smearing (a substance) over it
   • "smear the wall with paint"; "daub the ceiling with plaster"
   • synonyms: daub
4. charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
   • "The journalists have defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation"
   • synonyms: asperse, besmirch, calumniate, defame, denigrate, slander, smirch, sully