Select the appropriate synonym for the given word: Smear.
A) Mark
B) Avoid
C) Quarrel
D) Encourage

Hint: A synonym is a name, morpheme, or phrase in the same language that has the same or nearly the same meaning as another word, morpheme, or phrase. For instance, the words begin, start, commence, and initiate are all synonyms; they are interchangeable.

Complete answer:
The standard synonymy test is substitution: in a sentence, one form can be replaced by another without changing the context. Long and extended are synonyms in the form of long or extended time, but not in the term extended family.
Smear refers to a soiled stain left on a surface by something soft or wet. He had a smear of paint on his shirt, for example.

Now let us look into the given options:
Option A) Mark: It is the correct option because a 'mark' is a tiny dirty region on the surface of something and smear means a soiled stain. So, it is a synonym for smear.
Option B) Avoid: It is incorrect because staying away from someone or something is what 'avoid' means.
Option C) Quarrel: It is incorrect because the word 'quarrel' means a war, it is not a synonym for Smear.
Option D) Encourage: It is incorrect because the word "encourage" means "to inspire", it is not a synonym for Smear

Thus the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Synonyms with identical meanings share a seme or denotational sememe, while those with inexactly similar meanings share a wider denotational or connotational sememe, resulting in semantic overlap. The former are referred to as cognitive synonyms, whereas the latter are referred to as near-synonyms, plesionyms, or poecilonyms.