v. 1 daub, rub, anoint, spread, cover, coat, wipe, plaster, bedaub; besmirch, dirty, smudge, stain, soil, begrime The baby smeared ice-cream all over his face The car windows were smeared with dirt from the road. 2 blacken, besmirch, soil, sully, calumniate, slander, discredit, tarnish, defile, vilify, scandalize, stigmatize, Colloq drag through the mud Politicians regularly smear their opponents with all sorts of accusations
n. 3 smudge, daub, stain, splodge or chiefly US splotch, blot, taint, spot These outrageous lies constitute a smear on my good reputation There was a smear of blood on his collar. 4 slander, scandal, libel, vilification, mud-slinging, defamation, calumny, aspersion, reflection The article contains several smears on the character of an MP