as in to stain
to make dirty
inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet
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Recent Examples of besmirch
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
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
The eggs were fluffy, lacking any of the rubbery slop that besmirches lesser breakfast burritos.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
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
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
The eggs were fluffy, lacking any of the rubbery slop that besmirches lesser breakfast burritos.
—Carolyn Burt, Oc Register, 1 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besmirch
Verb
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Eating their finger-staining orange snacks.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
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How To Remove Stains From Marble Most marble countertops are sealed upon installation to help slow the absorption of liquids that can lead to staining.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The shrimp basket at B&J's Steak and Seafood includes a half pound of shrimp fried, grilled, blackened or boiled.—
Bill Dawers - For the AJC,
AJC.com,
2 June 2026
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Look for blackened, dim, and flickering bulbs during your inspections and replace those as well.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
2 June 2026
Verb
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But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
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With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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Soap invited its viewers to take jabs at the genre in a time when the soap opera’s reputation had already been sullied in the American mind.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besmirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besmirch. Accessed 11 Jun. 2026.
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