smear
gb/smˈɪɹ/ us/smˈɪɹ/
B1
English
~ 8500
ken, szétken, lejárat, bemocskol, rágalmaz, maszat, folt, lejárató kampány, lejáratás, lejárató támadás, kenet, méhnyakkenet, elken, elkenődik, összeken
VERB
B1
1
Usage pattern:
to smear [substance] on [surface]
She smeared butter on the warm toast.
Vajat kent a meleg pirítósra.
He accidentally smeared blue paint all over the door.
Véletlenül szétkente a kék festéket az egész ajtón.
Rub the lotion between your hands and then smear it on your arms.
The child smeared chocolate over his face while eating the cake.
She smeared sunscreen on the back of her neck before going outside.
Learner examples
He smeared butter on his bread.
Vajat kent a kenyerére.
The girl smeared red lipstick on her lips.
A lány piros rúzst kent az ajkára.
Please smear this cream on your hands.
The baby smeared food on the table.
She smeared white paint on the wall.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "paint" or "put" instead of "smear". Use "smear" when the substance is soft or wet and the result is a thin or messy layer. Also, learners may say "smear the butter to the bread"; the natural pattern is "smear butter on the bread".
Meaning
spread a soft substance
Collocations
smear butter
|smear cream
|smear lipstick
|smear paint
|smear ointment
|smear on the bread
Synonyms
spread (More general and neutral; does not always suggest a messy or uneven layer the way "smear" often does.)
Antonyms
wipe off (Means to remove something from a surface, often the opposite of putting and spreading it on.)
Themes
daily life
|food
|physical actions
|daily_life
|food_drink
Definition
To put a soft or wet thing on a surface and spread it around in a thin or messy layer.
To spread a soft or wet substance in a thin or uneven layer over a surface, usually with your hand or an object.
VERB
C1
2
Usage pattern:
to smear [someone] / to smear [someone’s] reputation
The article was clearly written to smear the candidate before the election.
A cikket nyilvánvalóan azért írták, hogy a választás előtt lejárassák a jelöltet.
Her opponents tried to smear her by spreading lies about her past.
Ellenfelei úgy próbálták lejáratni, hogy hazugságokat terjesztettek a múltjáról.
He sued the tabloid for attempting to smear his reputation.
Online trolls have been working to smear the company on social media.
The documentary shows how governments sometimes smear journalists who criticize them.
Learner examples
The newspaper tried to smear the famous actor.
Az újság megpróbálta lejáratni a híres színészt.
Some people on the internet smeared the company with false stories.
Néhányan az interneten hamis történetekkel próbálták bemocskolni a céget.
His enemies smeared his name before the vote.
They used old photos to smear her in the media.
The singer said the story was not true and that it was meant to smear him.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "smear" with "smile" or "smear" with neutral words like "talk about". "Smear" always has a strong negative meaning of unfair or dishonest attack. Also, it is usually used with people or their reputation, not with things like products (for products, "criticize" or "bad-mouth" are more common).
Meaning
attack someone’s reputation unfairly
Collocations
smear campaign
|attempt to smear
|smear his reputation
|smear in the press
|political smear
|viciously smear
Synonyms
slander (Legal and formal; usually refers to spoken false statements, while "smear" is broader and often used about public or political attacks.)
Antonyms
praise (To express approval or admiration of someone, the opposite of attacking their reputation.)
Themes
politics
|media
|law
|emotions
|communication
Definition
To say bad things about someone in public that are not true or are very unfair, so that other people think badly of them.
To damage a person’s reputation by making false, exaggerated, or unfair statements about them, especially in public.
NOUN
B1
3
Usage pattern:
a smear of [substance] on [surface]
She noticed a red smear of lipstick on his collar.
Észrevett egy piros rúzsmaszatot a gallérján.
There was a dark smear of grease on the mechanic’s overalls.
Sötét zsíros folt volt a szerelő overálján.
The child left chocolate smears all over the couch.
A faint smear of blood was visible on the floor.
Rain left dirty smears on the car windows.
Learner examples
There is a brown smear on your shirt.
Barna maszat van az ingeden.
He saw a smear of blood on his hand.
Vérmaszatot látott a kezén.
The window has smears of dirt on it.
She cleaned the smears from the table.
I found a red smear of paint on my jeans.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only "spot" or "mark" and do not know "smear". Use "smear" when the mark was made by something soft or wet being rubbed or dragged along the surface, not just dropped or dotted.
Meaning
thin dirty or greasy mark
Collocations
a smear of lipstick
|a smear of blood
|grease smear
|dirty smear on the window
|leave a smear
Synonyms
streak (Suggests a long, narrow line; "smear" can be any small area and often feels messier.)
Antonyms
cleanliness (The state of being clean and free from marks, the opposite of having smears or dirty areas.)
Themes
daily life
|appearance
|cleaning
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A dirty or colored mark on a surface made by something soft or wet being spread there.
A small area of a surface where a soft, wet, or greasy substance has been spread thinly or messily.
NOUN
C1
4
Usage pattern:
a smear against [someone] / a smear on [someone’s] character
He denied the allegations, calling them a politically motivated smear.
Tagadta a vádakat, és az egészet politikai indíttatású lejáratásnak nevezte.
The minister described the story as a smear against her character.
A miniszter szerint a történet a személye elleni lejárató támadás volt.
Opposition parties accused the government of running a smear campaign.
The report turned out to be nothing more than a vicious smear.
She refused to respond to what she saw as personal smears.
Learner examples
The story in the paper was a smear against the mayor.
Az újságban megjelent történet lejárató támadás volt a polgármester ellen.
They started a smear campaign to stop him winning the election.
Lejárató kampányt indítottak, hogy ne nyerje meg a választást.
He said the report was just a smear on his name.
The actor was hurt by the smear in the magazine.
She called the video an online smear.
Common mistake:
Learners may think "smear" here is the same as a physical mark. In this sense, it is always about a person’s reputation, often in politics or the media. Also, note that "smear campaign" is a fixed and very common phrase for an organized series of such attacks.
Meaning
unfair attack on reputation
Collocations
smear campaign
|political smear
|vicious smear
|baseless smear
|character smear
Synonyms
defamation (More formal and legal; "smear" is more common in everyday and political language.)
Antonyms
commendation (Public praise or approval, the opposite of a public attack on someone’s character.)
Themes
politics
|media
|law
|communication
Definition
A planned action to make people think badly of someone by saying false or very unfair things about them.
An attempt to damage someone’s reputation by spreading false, exaggerated, or unfair claims about them, especially in a planned way.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
5
kenet
C1
méhnyakkenet
C1
Usage pattern:
take a smear / have a smear / a smear test
The doctor recommended a cervical smear every three years.
Az orvos háromévente méhnyakrákszűrést javasolt.
Her smear test results came back normal.
A kenetvizsgálat eredménye rendben volt.
A Pap smear can help detect early signs of cervical cancer.
The clinic offers free smear tests during the health campaign.
Abnormal smear results may require further investigation.
Learner examples
She went to the clinic for a smear test.
Elment a klinikára kenetvizsgálatra.
The doctor said her smear was normal.
Az orvos azt mondta, hogy a kenete rendben van.
Women are advised to have regular cervical smears.
He explained how a Pap smear can find early cancer.
The nurse took a smear and sent it to the lab.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this medical meaning with the everyday idea of a dirty mark. In health contexts, especially with words like "cervical" or "Pap", "smear" almost always refers to a medical test, not dirt. Also note that in some countries the whole test is called a "smear test" or "Pap smear".
Meaning
medical sample spread on slide
Collocations
cervical smear
|smear test
|Pap smear
|take a smear
|abnormal smear
|routine smear
Synonyms
swab (Refers mainly to the sample-taking tool or act; "smear" here is the prepared sample on the slide or the test itself, especially in gynecology.)
Themes
medicine
|health
|science
Definition
A medical test where doctors put a thin layer of cells or fluid on glass and look at it under a microscope, for example to check for cancer or infection.
A sample of cells or bodily fluid spread thinly on a glass slide for examination under a microscope, especially in tests for disease.
VERB
B2
6
Usage pattern:
to smear [surface] with [substance] / to smear [substance] across [surface]
The rain smeared the ink on the page, making it hard to read.
Az esőtől elkenődött a tinta a lapon, ezért nehéz volt elolvasni.
Someone had smeared mud all over the door handle.
Valaki teljesen összekente sárral az ajtókilincset.
His fingerprints smeared the glass screen.
Her mascara ran and smeared under her eyes.
Grease had smeared the kitchen tiles near the stove.
Learner examples
The writing smeared when the paper got wet.
Az írás elkenődött, amikor a papír nedves lett.
He smeared mud on the white wall.
Sárral kente össze a fehér falat.
Her eye makeup smeared in the rain.
The child smeared his dirty hands on the window.
My phone screen is smeared with fingerprints.
Common mistake:
Learners may only know "dirty" or "make dirty" and not use a specific verb. Use "smear" when the dirt is dragged or rubbed across the surface, changing or blurring how it looks. Do not confuse this with the meaning of attacking someone’s reputation.
Meaning
make surface dirty or blurred
Collocations
smear the screen
|ink smeared
|mascara smeared
|smear mud on
|glasses smeared with fingerprints
Synonyms
smudge (Very close in meaning; often used especially for soft lines or colors; "smear" can sound a bit heavier or messier.)
Antonyms
polish (To clean and make a surface bright and clear, the opposite of making it dirty or blurred.)
Themes
daily life
|cleaning
|appearance
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To make something dirty or unclear by rubbing something soft or wet on it, usually without meaning to.
To make a surface dirty, marked, or blurred by rubbing a soft or wet substance across it, often by accident.
Grammar
Dictionary form
smear
IPA
GB/smˈɪɹ/
US/smˈɪɹ/
Syllables & stress
smear (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (smear)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: smear
- Plural: smears
Verb
- Base: smear
- 3rd Person Singular: smears
- Present Participle: smearing
- Past: smeared
Word family
Forms
smears
noun
smearing
verb
smeared
verb
Related words
smeary
adjective
Expressions
Pap smear
1/pˈæp smˈɪɹ/
fixed phrase
technical
cervical cancer screening test
A special smear test for women that checks cells from the cervix to find early signs of cancer or other problems.
Examples
- She booked a Pap smear with her gynecologist.
- Regular Pap smears can greatly reduce the risk of cervical cancer.
smear tactics
1/smˈɪɹ tˈæktɪks/
fixed phrase
methods of unfair reputation attacks
Ways of attacking someone’s reputation by using lies or very unfair stories about them.
Examples
- The party denied using smear tactics during the campaign.
- Voters are increasingly tired of negative ads and smear tactics.
smear test
1/smˈɪɹ tˈɛst/
fixed phrase
technical
medical test using a smear
A medical test where doctors take cells from the body, smear them on glass, and look at them under a microscope to check for illness, especially in women’s health.
Examples
- Women are encouraged to have a smear test every few years.
- The clinic offers free smear tests during the awareness month.
smear campaign
1/smˈɪɹ kæmpˈeɪn/
fixed phrase
planned series of reputation attacks
An organized plan to say many bad, false, or unfair things about someone in public so that people think badly of them.
Examples
- The politician accused his rival of starting a smear campaign against him.
- The politician claimed he was the victim of a smear campaign.
- She became the target of an online smear campaign.
- Activists accused the company of launching a smear campaign against its critics.