Dictionary.com

besmirch

[ bih-smurch ]
/ bɪˈsmɜrtʃ /
See synonyms for: besmirch / besmirched 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.

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Origin of besmirch

First recorded in 1590–1600; be- + smirch

OTHER WORDS FROM besmirch

be·smirch·er, nounun·be·smirched, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to besmirch

defile, slander, blacken, dishonor, smear, soil, stain, blot, smudge, discolor

Example sentences from the Web for besmirch

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