smeary

[ smeer-ee ]

adjective

, smear·i·er, smear·i·est.

1. showing smears; smeared.
2. tending to smear or soil.

ˈsmeary

/ ˈsmɪərɪ /

adjective

1. smeared, dirty; blurred by smearing

Derived Forms

• ˈsmeariness, noun
• ˈsmearily, adverb

Other Words From

• smeari·ness noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of smeary¹

First recorded in 1520–30; smear + -y ¹

Example Sentences

Other paintings deepen the idea of “dungeon”: One smeary figure eight is the board for a Hannah Montana-branded version of the tabletop game Mall Madness.

From New York Times

Revenge is a dish served as too many smeary, overcooked courses in “God Is a Bullet,” an exploitation slog about a cult kidnapping and a good man’s tumble into hell that at 2½ hours doesn’t quite comport with the expeditious promise of its title’s last word.

From Los Angeles Times

But Sonny has a gift for spotting talent, and he’s aiming high: Jordan, the 21-year-old who’s left college early and whose moves he studies on smeary tape.

From New York Times

But these faces have character, personality, history, as does this vision of New York and its crowded byways and sagging buildings, with their faded grandeur, smeary windows, fragile pipes and impastos of paint lacquering the halls.

From New York Times

Here’s an underrated gem from a few years back: smeary, romantic, ’80s-inspired pop as vibrant as a bouquet of roses in every color.

From New York Times

Related Words

• buttery
• creamy
• oiled
• slippery
• waxy