What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
soilage
Example
The children's muddy shoes caused soilage on the carpet. [soilage: noun]
Example
Be careful not to soil your shirt with that chocolate. [soil: verb]
smudge
Example
She accidentally smudged her lipstick on the napkin. [smudged: past tense verb]
Example
The artist used his finger to smudge the charcoal drawing. [smudge: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Smudge is more commonly used than soilage in everyday language. Smudge is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while soilage is less common and often used in industrial or technical contexts.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between soilage and smudge?
Both soilage and smudge are relatively formal words, but soilage is more technical and specific, while smudge is more versatile and can be used in various formality levels.
