Cryptic crossword clue
Misconstrue me a lunatic — smear! 10

The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 10 letter word CALUMNIATE

I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
C
A
L
U
M
N
I
A
T
E

Buddy explains!

The straight part
We know that "smear" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case smear = calumniate.
The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.
This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.

What does CALUMNIATE mean?

CALUMNIATE verb
  1. To make hurtful untrue comments about.
  2. To levy a false charge against, especially of a vague offense, with the intent to damage someone's reputation or standing.

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