Smear: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used in the context of a public or political situation where false or exaggerated information is spread to harm someone’s reputation.

• The politician tried to smear his opponent with false accusations.
• The tabloid's aim was to smear the celebrity with unfounded rumors.

Specifically refers to false spoken statements made to damage someone's reputation. It often has a legal connotation.

• He threatened to sue the journalist for slander.
• Spreading slanderous lies can result in serious legal consequences.

Used when someone makes false statements to damage another's reputation. It can be used in both legal and everyday contexts.

• The article was intended to defame the singer's good name.
• She sued him for defamation after he spread untrue stories about her.

Used to describe the act of speaking or writing about someone in an abusively disparaging manner. It often has an intentionally aggressive tone.

• The media tended to vilify the candidate without any solid proof.
• It’s unfair to vilify someone based on mere assumptions.

Used in medical or biological contexts to describe a thin layer of a substance spread on a surface, often for examination under a microscope. Can also mean a deliberate effort to harm someone's reputation, which has a negative connotation.

• The doctor prepared a smear of the patient's blood to examine it under the microscope.
• The politician was the victim of a smear campaign intended to ruin their reputation.

Refers to a small portion or quantity taken from a larger entity for analysis, quality assessment, or as a representative piece. Commonly used in medical, research, and consumer contexts.

• The scientist collected a sample of the water to test for contaminants.
• Customers were allowed to try a sample of the new ice cream flavor.

Often used in scientific or medical fields to refer to an individual animal, plant, piece of a mineral, etc., especially one used to study or display. Implies something more significant or exemplary than a simple sample.

• The museum displayed a rare specimen of a dinosaur bone.
• The lab received a specimen of the patient's tissue for analysis.

Typically used in medical settings to describe a small piece of absorbent material, such as cotton, used for cleaning or taking a sample from a surface, especially the human body.

• The nurse took a swab from the inside of the patient's cheek for a DNA test.
• A swab was used to clean the wound before applying the bandage.