Synonyms of besmirch

besmirch

verb

bi-ˈsmərch 

as in to stain

to make dirty

inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet

Synonyms & Similar Words

• stain
• blacken
• dirty
• sully
• soil
• smirch
• muck
• mess
• befoul
• smudge
• muddy
• daub
• pollute
• grime
• contaminate
• mire
• distain
• taint
• foul
• gaum
• bemire
• begrime
• defile
• discolor
• disarrange
• confuse
• disarray
• muddle
• jumble
• disorder
• dishevel
• draggle
• crock
• colly

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• clean
• cleanse
• purify
• purge
• wipe
• decontaminate
• sweep
• wash
• sanitize
• disinfect
• scrub
• brush
• renew
• rinse
• scour
• brighten
• launder
• dust
• mop
• freshen
• spruce (up)
• straighten (up)
• dry-clean
• deodorize
• tidy (up)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of besmirch

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

For example, anyone who has lived in New York City is likely to have noticed the countless chewing gum stains that besmirch the city’s sidewalks. — Peter Debruge, Variety, 23 Jan. 2026

Podcast

Get Word of the Day delivered to your inbox!