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View synonyms for

besmirch

[bih-smurch]

verb (used with object)

  1. to soil; tarnish; discolor.

  2. to detract from the honor or luster of.

    to besmirch someone's good name.

    Synonyms: , , , , , , ,


besmirch

/ ɪˈɜːʃ /

verb

  1. to make dirty; soil

  2. to reduce the brightness or lustre of

  3. 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
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Other Word Forms

  • besmircher noun
  • unbesmirched adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of besmirch1

First recorded in 1590–1600; be- + smirch
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

It is no coincidence that he publicly labels Ukraine's leadership "Nazis" as a means of besmirching them in Russian eyes.

From

"It is an unadulterated lie because it tries to besmirch the very DNA of a new South Africa that was born under the leadership of someone like Nelson Mandela," he told the BBC World Service.

From

" happened thereafter has besmirched the unsuspecting town of Kidwelly," he said.

From

Whitfield, who is biracial, claimed that Hassan’s comments about how she got the job on the show besmirched her merits, something that Black women often have to deal with in the workforce.

From

Even though Salon never asked folks about gun control, many Republicans brought it up, worried that this incident might besmirch their support for even more gun deregulation.

From

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