smudge
noun
a dirty mark or smear.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Stewart smudged her face with gray makeup, cut a few rips in her least-loved jeans, sliced up a gleaming white cardigan and held up a clipboard that read, “I Am Hungry Help Me!!”
From Salon ● Nov. 2, 2026
"Intensity mapping is like viewing the same scene through a smudged plane window: you get a blurrier picture, but you capture all the light and not just the brightest spots."
From Science Daily ● Mar. 8, 2026
Expect a lot of smudged mascara as the pair receive a send-off to remember.
From BBC ● Dec. 21, 2025
Instead of a funhouse mirror of what could be, it’s merely a smudged reflection of what is.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 13, 2025
There were leaves in her hair, rips in her stockings, and dirt smudged across both cheeks.
From "The Unseen Guest" by Maryrose Wood
