besmirch

[ bih-smurch ]

/ bɪˈsmɜrtʃ /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR besmirch ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used with object)

to soil; tarnish; discolor.

to detract from the honor or luster of: to besmirch someone's good name.

Nearby words

besiege, beskids, beslan, beslobber, besmear, besmirch, besnier-boeck-schaumann disease, besom, besom pocket, besot, besotted

Origin of besmirch

First recorded in 1590–1600; be- + smirch

SYNONYMS FOR besmirch

2 stain, tarnish, soil, blacken, dishonor, discredit, sully, besmear.

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR besmirch ON THESAURUS.COM

Related forms

be·smirch·er, nounun·be·smirched, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for besmirch

I hate to besmirch the reputation of an innocent dog, but a lot of time her personality is like a rabid pit bull.
Billy Sammeth, the Manager Fired by Cher and Joan Rivers, Tells His Side of the Story|Kevin Sessums|February 14, 2012|DAILY BEAST
If anyone is working round the clock to besmirch the reputation of Pit Bulls it is Pit Bulls themselves.
Get Rid of Pit Bulls|Charles Leerhsen|March 12, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Love was too fine and noble, and he was too loyal a lover for him to besmirch love with criticism.
Martin Eden|Jack London
He writhed under this new inquisition which displayed a tendency to besmirch his reputation.
The Triumph of Virginia Dale|John Francis, Jr.

Thus, desirous to hide his cruelty, he chose rather to besmirch his friend than to bring disgrace on his own head.
The Danish History, Books I-IX|Saxo Grammaticus ("Saxo the Learned")
Voltaire was the first to besmirch the spotless reputation of Mlle. Raucourt.
Later Queens of the French Stage|H. Noel Williams
Do honest men, believing in themselves, besmirch their own honor by deliberate lying?
My Attainment of the Pole|Frederick A. Cook

British Dictionary definitions for besmirch

besmirch

/ (bɪˈsmɜːtʃ) /

verb (tr)

to make dirty; soil

to reduce the brightness or lustre of

to sully (often in the phrase besmirch (a person's) name)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012