daubs 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of daub
1
as in stains
to make dirty a tablecloth daubed with too many spills to ignore any longer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smears
to rub an oily or sticky substance over he begins his nightly transformation into a circus clown by daubing greasepaint on his face

Synonyms & Similar Words

daubs

2 of 2

noun

plural of daub
as in drawings

Related Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for daubs
  1. stains
  2. smears
  3. drawings
  4. blackens
  5. paints
  6. portraits
  7. smudges
  8. coats
Verb
  • Advocates argue carts are silent, occupy less space than tourist vans and buses, and don’t choke the air with exhaust that also stains historic monuments.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The man lies a few yards behind them, but the image stains her field of vision.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stains
Verb
  • Darker smears around the crater’s rim contain surface rocks and lunar dust called regolith previously altered by solar winds, micrometeorites, and cosmic radiation over an extended period of time.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The atmosphere works on them a little bit harder and reduces their strength and smears them a little bit more.
    — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of smears
Noun
  • Related Articles The exhibition is co-organized by Joanna Sheers Seidenstein, the Met’s curator of European drawings and prints, and Blaise Ducos, who oversees Dutch and Flemish paintings at the Louvre.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Find here Gruau’s original gouaches and Hervé van der Straeten’s drawings.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of drawings
Verb
  • After the first killing frost blackens their foliage, wait for a dry day and gently lift them with a garden fork.
    — Pam Rosendal, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2026
  • As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.
    — The Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of blackens
Verb
  • As a market, however, Latin America paints a different picture.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
  • His publicist initially told the Associated Press that the renowned designer died of pneumonia, but a death certificate obtained by Us Weekly paints a different picture.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of paints
Noun
  • Inspired by archival photographs of alpine pioneer and early Moncler collaborator Lionel Terray, each is captured in bold portraits wearing reimagined versions of signature Moncler outerwear and accessories.
    — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Then, Nourry sculpted their portraits using her free interpretations.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of portraits
Verb
  • Cleaning dirt and smudges off window glass helps sunlight penetrate into your home and will boost the amount of light that’s available to your houseplants.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Dim sunlight smudges skies for only a few hours in the depth of winter.
    — Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2025
Definition of smudges
Verb
  • Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute.
    — Martha Stewart, Martha Stewart, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The plush, balm-meets-mask formula coats lips in a comforting layer that keeps moisture from escaping overnight, with hyaluronic acid, minerals, and antioxidant-rich Berry Mix Complex helping soften dry, flaky skin.
    — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of coats
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.

Browse Nearby Words

daubing
daubs
daughter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Daubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/daubs. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of compunction

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All