besmirch
verb
be·smirch
bi-ˈsmərch 
bē-
besmirched; besmirching; besmirches
: to cause harm or damage to the purity, luster, or beauty of (something) : sully, soil
besmirching her reputation
High ideals were besmirched by cruelty and greed …—
R. A. Newhall
R. A. NewhallAlthough the accusations against Normand were unsupported, her name was besmirched.—John Lahr
John LahrDarwin was exasperated by Wallace's gullibility and feared that his activities would somehow besmirch the theory of evolution.—Anthony Gottlieb
Anthony GottliebThe problem is that the vast majority of people of all nations … cherish their national myths too much to want mere facts, or even assertions of historical doubt, to besmirch them.—Max Hastings
Max Hastings
Did you know?
Since the prefix be- in besmirch means "to make or cause to be," when you besmirch something, you cause it to have a smirch. What's a smirch? A smirch is a stain, and to smirch something is to stain it or make it dirty. By extension, the verb smirch came to mean "to bring discredit or disgrace on." Smirch and besmirch, then, mean essentially the same thing.
Examples of besmirch in a Sentence
inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet
Recent Examples on the Web
Their reputations were besmirched.
—The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
Images illustrating the reality versus carefully edited Instagram selfies have somewhat besmirched Santorini’s romantic reputation of late.
—Helen Iatrou, AFAR Media, 16 Dec. 2024
Completely besmirched by this new sham of a spot.
—Mike D. Sykes, For The Win, 11 Dec. 2024
Other attempts to besmirch her also fell short — as in the 2024 election, when former Sen. Randolph Bracy launched an ugly attempt to oust her from the District 15 Senate seat.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The Editors, National Review, 17 Dec. 2024
Images illustrating the reality versus carefully edited Instagram selfies have somewhat besmirched Santorini’s romantic reputation of late.
—Helen Iatrou, AFAR Media, 16 Dec. 2024
Completely besmirched by this new sham of a spot.
—Mike D. Sykes, For The Win, 11 Dec. 2024
Other attempts to besmirch her also fell short — as in the 2024 election, when former Sen. Randolph Bracy launched an ugly attempt to oust her from the District 15 Senate seat.
—Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, Orlando Sentinel, 25 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Cite this Entry
“Besmirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/besmirch. Accessed 25 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
besmirch
verb
be·smirch
bi-ˈsmərch
: to make soiled or less pure
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share