besmirch

verb

bi-ˈsmərch How to pronounce besmirch (audio)
Definition of besmirchnext
as in to stain
to make dirty inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of besmirch And thus one of the more wholesome and fun events in the White House calendar was besmirched by a man who simply cannot stop with the zero-sum partisan nonsense even when surrounded by impressionable young faces. — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026 Throwing out insults to soil someone’s reputation or besmirch their honor also carries the risk of fines in Switzerland, but that risk is diminished if the insults are retracted. — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 1 Apr. 2026 Imagine having the gall to besmirch the name of a young mother killed for trying to speak up for her neighbors or of an ICU nurse shot in the back for trying to tend to a woman who had been pepper-sprayed in the face. — Sasha Abramsky, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2026 The lack of awards buzz shouldn’t besmirch Amanda Seyfried’s performance here, though, which is great. — Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 23 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besmirch
  1. stain
  2. blacken
  3. dirty
  4. sully
Verb
  • The armpits of the Quran shirt are stained with centuries-old sweat.
    — Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 26 Oct. 2026
  • In 2005, a vote-buying scheme known as Mensalão led to the conviction of senior PT figures and stained the party’s image.
    — Alessandra Freitas, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • As the balloon and its occupants fell to the ground, the nylon envelope and the gondola separated, and the wreckage scattered over a roughly 100-yard area, parts of it blackened by the explosion and resulting fire.
    — Théoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The shrinking process had exaggerated some features, vanished others, and blackened the flesh.
    — Daniel Barnum, Longreads, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of blacken
Verb
  • To even wade into the arguments might dirty your hands, and mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Perhaps the squad took his ball-respecting mantra to its logical extreme, seemingly reluctant to sully it by smashing it into the net, with Chelsea recording the biggest xG underperformance in the Premier League during his brief tenure.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Seaver is also named in a lawsuit accusing him of threatening to sully his aunt’s legacy and harm her employees, according to documents viewed by People.
    — Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of sully

Browse Nearby Words

besmears
besmirch
besmirched
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Cite this Entry

“Besmirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besmirch. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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