Smears

The plural form of 'smear'. To spread a substance, typically a greasy or viscous one, across a surface. It can also refer to an act of defaming someone's reputation or character through false accusations, lies, or damaging statements. In the context of art, a smear can describe an indistinct or blurred mark. Figuratively, it implies a degradation or a staining of something pure or clean, whether physical or abstract. Often, it evokes a sense of messiness, lack of precision, or malicious intent. Additionally, it can describe a smear in terms of a trace, a mark left on a surface or reputation. The nature of a smear suggests a lack of permanence, often difficult to completely remove.

Smears meaning with examples

• The child, covered in chocolate, had smeared frosting across the kitchen table, leaving a sticky residue. It was a messy scene that required significant cleaning. The sugary smears had quickly attracted several ants. The parents were left to clean the messy scene as quickly as possible. The situation was now messy, however, they were all used to it. This was a typical Sunday.
• The journalist's article contained several factual inaccuracies and was widely criticized as a smear campaign against the politician. The opposing party capitalized on these smears, causing them great damage. They had decided to attack the politicians' family, which made the accusations even worse. The accusations quickly went viral on the Internet and television. The smear had the desired effect of turning public opinion.
• In the impressionist painting, the artist used quick brushstrokes to create soft, blurred smears of color, conveying a sense of movement. The artist chose to go abstract with their choices of colors and shapes. The viewer was left to fill in the detail themselves. The art created was open to interpretation. They had painted beautiful smears.
• The scandal had left a smear on the company's reputation, causing a significant loss of trust among its customers and investors. The companies trust rating quickly plummeted. Customers started to move to competitors. Investors pulled all of their funding. The board of directors had to fire the CEO to try and recover. The company was facing bankruptcy.
• After the accident, the car's paint had smeared against the guardrail, leaving a long, visible smear on the metal. The crash left many visible marks. The owner of the car was thankfully unharmed. The damage to the car was beyond repair. They were left with a totaled vehicle. The insurance company was to pay out, replacing the car.