smeary

/ˈsmɪə.ri/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈsmɪr.i/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈsmir-ē How to pronounce smeary (audio)/ (ame, mw)

smeary — adjective

  • smearypositive
  • smeariercomparative
  • smeariestsuperlative

1. marked with blurred dirty streaks because something wet, soft, or oily has been

1.形容詞C2
釋義

marked with blurred dirty streaks because something wet, soft, or oily has been rubbed across the surface.

例句

Theo's glasses went smeary after he wiped them with an oily sleeve.

go smeary after grease is rubbed across a surface

Lan left a pink, smeary fingerprint on the bathroom mirror.

smeary + fingerprint on a smooth surface

同義詞
  • smudged

    very close in meaning; often suggests a lighter or more local mark

  • streaky

    emphasises long uneven lines, not necessarily dirt

  • messy

    much broader and does not specifically suggest rubbed marks

反義詞
  • clean

    free from dirty streaks or smeared marks

  • crisp

    used for print or images with sharp, clear edges

文法句型

smeary + noun

look or go smeary

smeary + mark, fingerprint, or photo

用法筆記

Often describes fingerprints, ink, makeup, chocolate, or other material that has been rubbed and spread out. It usually suggests a messy surface or print result, not just an ordinary out-of-focus image.

常見錯誤

❌The mountain looked smeary in the distance.
✅The mountain looked blurred in the distance.
💡Use 'smeary' when the unclear look comes from streaks or something rubbed across a surface, not simple distance blur.