smearing
Coating with strokes
Smearing is the act of spreading something soft or wet across a surface, or the result of such spreading: The smearing of sunscreen left white streaks on her back.
It also refers to damaging someone's reputation through false accusations: The candidate accused his opponent of smearing his good name.
In both senses, smearing implies something messy and hard to undo.
Spreading soft dairy fat
- schmearThick dab of spread
- slatheringApplying thickly, liberally
- daubingRough, careless application
- latheringCreating soap foam
applying · coating · plastering · anointing · dabbing · layering · painting · glazing
Malicious personal attacks
- character assassinationDestroying someone's good name
- libelPrinted defamation
- slanderSpoken false defamation
- vilificationAbusive condemnation of someone
denigration · besmirching · tarnishing · disparagement · calumny · aspersion · traducement · backbiting
Making blurry marks
- streakingRunning naked publicly
- splotchingMaking irregular marks
- blottingAbsorbing by pressing
- markingIndicating with symbols
soiling · staining · discoloring · spotting · dirtying · blurring · marring · scuffing
Transfer of harmful substances
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- biohazardDangerous living organism risk
- infectiousAble to spread disease
contaminating · unsanitary · fecal · bodily fluids · specimen · swabbing · culture · petri dish
buttering
Spreading soft dairy fat
- schmearThick dab of spread
- slatheringApplying thickly, liberally
- daubingRough, careless application
lathering · applying · coating · plastering · anointing · dabbing · layering · painting · glazing · troweling
mudslinging
Malicious personal attacks
- character assassinationDestroying someone's good name
- libelPrinted defamation
- slanderSpoken false defamation
vilification · denigration · besmirching · tarnishing · disparagement · calumny · aspersion · traducement · backbiting · innuendo
smudging
Making blurry marks
- streakingRunning naked publicly
- splotchingMaking irregular marks
- blottingAbsorbing by pressing
marking · soiling · staining · discoloring · spotting · dirtying · blurring · marring · scuffing · splattering
cross-contamination
Transfer of harmful substances
- bacteriaNucleus-free single-celled organisms
- pathogensDisease-causing microorganisms
- biohazardDangerous living organism risk
infectious · contaminating · unsanitary · fecal · bodily fluids · specimen · swabbing · culture · petri dish
- messy eatingslurping, dripping, spilling, crumbs, dribbling
- filthdirt, grime, dirty, filthy, muck
- handwriting mistakessmudges, misspellings, strikethroughs, wrong letter, double letters
- dirtyingsoiling, dirtying, staining, smudging, muddying
- climbingrock climbing, free climbing, belay, bouldering, carabiner
- application techniquesbrushing, rolling, spraying, dipping, sponging
smearingpraising
Voicing admiration
complimenting · defending · lauding · extolling · honoring
smearingsharpening
Making more cutting
clarifying · focusing · defining · crisping · delineating
smear, smeared, smeary, smears, smirch, smearer, besmeared, smirched