as in to stain
to make dirty
inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet
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Recent Examples of besmirch
There’s a new promo picture going around showing a Dusty Milligan with facial hair (see: above) — and listen, not to besmirch his infinity-pool jawline, but the dude looks so much better with that scruff.
—
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
The Jefferson Council, a conservative alumni group, had been calling for an end or change to the tour program, insisting that volunteers had been wrongly besmirching the legacy of UVA's founder.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 30 Aug. 2024
With their reputations besmirched, their families despaired of finding them a suitor.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2024
This is not to besmirch the usual litany of guests from the Bravo universe, the majority of whom regularly make the pilgrimage to Soho in New York to gossip and dish on their co-stars.
—Peter White, Deadline, 21 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
The Jefferson Council, a conservative alumni group, had been calling for an end or change to the tour program, insisting that volunteers had been wrongly besmirching the legacy of UVA's founder.
—David K. Li, NBC News, 30 Aug. 2024
With their reputations besmirched, their families despaired of finding them a suitor.
—Stanley Stewart, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 July 2024
This is not to besmirch the usual litany of guests from the Bravo universe, the majority of whom regularly make the pilgrimage to Soho in New York to gossip and dish on their co-stars.
—Peter White, Deadline, 21 June 2024
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besmirch
Verb
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Its players are turncoats whose legacies are forever stained.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2025
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Be careful and don’t use it every wash because these products can stain your hair with a pink or lavender tint.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Unlike a total solar eclipse, when the disk of the sun is completely blackened, an eclipsed moon does not vanish completely from the sky.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
11 Mar. 2025
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But the negro resents and utterly repudiates the effort to blacken his good name by asserting that assaults upon women are peculiar to his race.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Grease dirtied the handles of the ovens, the microwave ovens and the coolers.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
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Instead of dirtying a larger pot for your supporting dishes, this quaint cooker will come in handy for quick (or slower simmering) concoctions while matching your kitchen atmosphere.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2025
Verb
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With Taylor sullied publicly and a leadership void atop the department, Luck became the face of Stanford athletics and the sole possessor of the authority necessary to salvage the football program.—
Jon Wilner,
Mercury News,
27 Mar. 2025
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However, his legacy has been sullied by decades of financial disputes and a barrage lawsuits from artists and creditors.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
14 Jan. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Besmirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besmirch. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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