to smear sunscreen
1
3.3
- phrasal verb
- /smɪr ˈsʌnˌskrin/
- Don't forget to smear sunscreen on your nose and shoulders before you go hiking.
Examples
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He hurriedly smeared sunscreen on his arms, worried about getting sunburned.
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She carefully smeared sunscreen over her children's faces before they played outside.
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Don't smear sunscreen all over your face!
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She smears sunscreen on her arms before going out.
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Before heading to the beach, I always smear sunscreen on my arms and face to protect my skin.
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She took a moment to smear sunscreen over her nose, ensuring she wouldn't get sunburned.
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It's important to smear sunscreen evenly on all exposed skin to prevent harmful UV damage.
Synonyms
69
3.7
To spread a substance over a surface in a messy way
15
6.9
Spread a thick layer of a wet thing like sauce or sunscreen on a surface
2
3.2
To put a thick, smooth substance on the skin to soothe or protect it
1
3.1
To put cream on your skin to protect it from the sun
1
9.9
To cover something with a sticky or greasy substance
How Thick
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'to spread sunscreen' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'smear' (apply a substance messily across a surface) with 'sunscreen' (topical cream). This is a straightforward verb + noun action common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.
Etymology
The verb smear sunscreen gives a clear picture: you use your hand to smear the sunscreen across your skin and sometimes leave streaks. That's why it means 'to spread sunscreen lotion thickly or unevenly over the skin'.