befouling

verb

present participle of befoul
1
as in staining
to make dirty unsightly mud and slush befouls the family car every winter

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluting
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable the enemy had befouled the water in all of the area's wells with animal carcasses

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for befouling
  1. staining
  2. polluting
  3. blackening
  4. poisoning
  5. dirtying
  6. sullying
  7. soiling
  8. besmirching
Verb
  • Clean the bowl with a toilet brush and cleaner once or twice a week to prevent mineral deposits from staining the toilet bowl.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 17 Aug. 2026
  • If the grime is coming up but there’s still staining, spray some of the water and vinegar solution onto the area.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of staining
Verb
  • This novel legal approach, likened to a polluting factory, argues that AI chatbots cause mental harm, provide uncertified advice, and undermine public health and safety.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026
  • This large mass will translate into higher quantities of polluting propellant needed to loft these systems off Earth and a much larger amount of metals vaporizing in Earth's atmosphere during reentry.
    — Tereza Pultarova, Space.com, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of polluting
Verb
  • Check monthly for signs of shriveling (add moisture), blackening or softening (discard).
    — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2026
  • The Volcano fire was among blazes this week, blackening more than 100 acres in Riverside County.
    — Joseph Serna, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of blackening
Verb
  • Trump is also poisoning the process at a moment when the system for casting votes in the United States really does need shoring up.
    — Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026
  • An unknown person has been poisoning mature pine trees at Burnt Cedar Beach in Incline Village since 2022, with 16 more trees targeted this July and August — a case some suspect involves a wealthy resident trying to improve their view of Lake Tahoe.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of poisoning
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • Keep them in reserve as a sleep sock to ward off icy toes and prevent sweat and skin oils from dirtying your down sleeping bag.
    — Adam Roy, Outside, 28 Dec. 2025
Definition of dirtying
Verb
  • The Spurs were a ghastly 11 of 46 from the perimeter, sullying an otherwise analytically pristine shot chart that included only four non-paint 2s.
    — John Hollinger, New York Times, 5 June 2026
  • And could a second season, sans the extraordinary talents of Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, deliver a story and themes in keeping with that brand, without sullying what was so deviously tricky about the original series and its tone?
    — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Apr. 2026
Definition of sullying
Verb
  • Brazzale says patients who are declining may worry about soiling themselves, losing their dignity, or being moved out of their home at the end.
    — Angela Haupt, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
  • People are reportedly soiling themselves at Noah Kahan‘s concerts.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 24 July 2026
Definition of soiling
Verb
  • Troubled by all the people besmirching the occupation, a group of agents formed a national trade group in 1908—the one eventually known as NAR.
    — Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
  • In her response, Hajdini cast Rana as manipulative and deceitful, intent on ruining her life and besmirching her employer through his sensational accusations.
    — David Chiu, PEOPLE, 28 May 2026
Definition of besmirching
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.

Browse Nearby Words

befouled
befouling
befouls
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Cite this Entry

“Befouling.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/befouling. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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