- 1an oily or dirty mark a smear of jam
- 2a story that is not true about someone that is intended to damage their reputation, especially in politics He was a victim of a smear campaign. Thesaurusmark
- stain
- fingerprint
- streak
- speck
- blot
- smear
- spot
- mark a small area of dirt or other substance on the surface of something, especially one that spoils its appearance:The kids left dirty marks all over the kitchen floor.
- stain a dirty mark on something that is difficult to remove, especially one made by a liquid:blood stains
- fingerprint a mark on a surface made by the pattern of lines on the end of a person's finger, often used by the police to identify criminals:Her fingerprints were all over the gun.
- streak a long thin mark or line that is a different color from the surface it is on:She had streaks of gray in her hair.
- speck a very small mark, spot, or piece of a substance on something:There isn't a speck of dust anywhere in the house.
- blot a spot or dirty mark left on something by a substance such as ink being dropped on a surface:an ink blot
- smear a mark made by something such as oil or paint being spread or rubbed on a surface:She had smears of paint on her dress.
- spot a small dirty mark on something:He found grease spots all over the walls.
- a streak/speck/blot/smear/spot of something
- a greasy mark/stain/smear
- a/an ink mark/stain/blot/spot
- a/an grease mark/stain/spot
- to leave a mark/stain/fingerprint/streak/speck/blot/smear
Check pronunciation: smear