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
  • It’s formulated to hold up during outdoor activities without staining your clothes or running into your eyes.
    — Sara Coughlin, Allure, 9 July 2026
  • Wipe your stovetop and the front of the stove every day to minimize buildup and prevent staining.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of staining
Verb
  • Another study, published in Nature, found that Canadian wildfires in 2023, when more than 43 million acres burned, generated more emissions than the burning of fossil fuels in all but the three most-polluting countries.
    — Joshua Partlow, The Atlantic, 16 July 2026
  • The solution is to support federal and state legislation that encourages lower-cost, less-polluting renewable energy to speed up the transition away from environmentally damaging fossil fuels.
    — Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 29 June 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
  • One of Robinson's attorneys, Kathryn Nester, also represented Kouri Richins, who was convicted of poisoning her husband, Eric Richins, in March 2022.
    — Adam Sabes, FOXNews.com, 23 June 2026
  • Lewis was accused of poisoning two white female housemates, assaulted by a white mob in response to the charge, and acquitted in court, only to then be accused of stealing art supplies and prohibited from reënrolling.
    — Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 8 June 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
  • Some passengers reported soiling themselves in their seats.
    — Jake Sheridan, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2026
  • Also on the good side of things is Sean Bell’s lanky Sir Robin, the not-quite-so-brave, armor-soiling knight.
    — Christopher Smith, Oc Register, 18 Feb. 2026
Definition of soiling
Verb
  • 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
  • Kelly believes a book like this hasn’t been written before because people weren’t ready to hear the truth – as though acknowledging these famous people’s complete life experiences would be besmirching their legacies.
    — Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 12 Jan. 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 19 Jul. 2026.

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