SMUDGED Synonyms: 145 Similar and Opposite Words

smudged 1 of 2

adjective

as in stained

not clean every copy of the book that the store had was smudged

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smudged

2 of 2

verb

past tense of smudge

as in blackened

to make dirty she accidentally smudged her collar with the lipstick

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of smudged

Verb

The workers’ uniforms are smudged with stains earned underneath a car, wrench in hand. — Daniel Miller, Los Angeles Times, 6 Jan. 2026 This spring, expect lips to be blurred, eyeliner to be smudged, and skin to be soft-focus. — Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 3 Apr. 2026 The school's statement said the receipt supporting the claim of the fake cigars had the time and date smudged out. — Ryan Canfield Outkick, FOXNews.com, 12 June 2026 Those smudged, hazy glass patio doors are not doing your indoor-outdoor view any favors. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 Apr. 2026 Loose waves and smudged eye makeup, sharpened with pink at the inner corners, kept the effect closer to one of her stage looks. — Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 July 2026 Then move on to large appliance fronts—specifically, those stainless steel fridges and ovens that are easily smudged. — Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026 Or, show your burning desire with Byredo’s Burning Rose Candle and a refillable lipstick set (which will be lovingly smudged by the end of the night). — Essence, 30 Jan. 2026 From the estuary of the River Plate, the city looks mysterious, almost smudged, its lines seeming less refined than those of Paris but more modern than Warsaw’s. — Literary Hub, 11 May 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smudged

Adjective

Everything from the casting (male dancers, internet faves, and very few actual models) to the scenery (a 191-year-old venue with plenty of stained glass) to the ambiance (candlelit, with lots of bows and florals) embodied the brand's quintessential mix of romance, community, and nostalgia.

— Madeline Hirsch, InStyle, 26 June 2026
Spread the mixture on the stained area; leave it for 15 minutes before wiping it away with a microfiber cloth.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 19 June 2026

Definition of stained

Verb

The kernels should develop dark golden spots without becoming overly blackened.

— Staff, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
One of the daily specials, a creamy risotto accented with a bold red pepper puree and blackened shrimp, caught my eye and satisfied my cravings for something comforting.

— Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2026

Definition of blackened

Adjective

All 182 guest rooms were given a fresh coat of dusty rose paint, new custom carpet, furniture and upgraded bathrooms.

— Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
At the same time, her eyes were free of the ultimate Millennial marker, winged liner, and colored with a melting pot of brown, bronze and dusty gray shadow, visible in her waterline, too.

— Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 2 July 2026

Definition of dusty

Verb

When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.

— Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.

— Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025

Definition of dirtied

Adjective

From shabby apartments to art experiments to filthy needles—with echoes of Patti Smith and Rebecca Makkai—Adler conjures an era of sorrow borne by too many, too young.

— Hamilton Cain, Time, 7 July 2026
A week after Venezuela’s twin earthquakes, doctors warn untreated wounds, filthy shelters and scarce supplies are fueling a looming wave of infections that could claim more lives.

— Regina Garcia Cano, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026

Definition of filthy

Adjective

Not even foundations are visible, and a long gravel road toward that part of the island leads past occasional farms and vast swaths of emptiness and then, finally, to a muddy riverbank thick with mosquitos.

— Andrew Carter, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
After all that digging and splashing, a muddy dog still has to come back inside.

— Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 2 July 2026

Definition of muddy

Adjective

Or stands proudly athwart a county that has long demonized it as too dirty, too crime-ridden — in other words, too Latino.

— Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026
At the center sits a giant mound of dirty work clothes, and hidden speakers play a nonstop whisper of the laborers’ names.

— Jeff Chu, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2026

Definition of dirty

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“Smudged.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smudged. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of smudged

adjective

verb

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