as in stained
not clean
wiped the toddler's besmirched face with a damp cloth
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in blackened
to make dirty
inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of besmirched
Niall Stanage, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
These hardy souls, largely indifferent to political and economic turbulence, were the mainstay of the tourist economy during the civil war that besmirched the lives of an entire generation from the 1980s on.
—Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024
Verb
Trump has focused on tourist-friendly areas being besmirched by crime.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 11 Aug. 2025
These hardy souls, largely indifferent to political and economic turbulence, were the mainstay of the tourist economy during the civil war that besmirched the lives of an entire generation from the 1980s on.
—Chandrahas Choudhury, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Mar. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for besmirched
Adjective
-
The guest-only Chapel Club has a more plush, salon-like feel and there’s more than a hint of naughtiness with stained glass windows casting color onto the sensual artworks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
-
How To Remove Types Of Mattress Stains Step-By-Step Vacuum the mattress and stained area.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Signs of overfeeding include white crust on the pot or media, brown, scorched leaf tips, mushy or blackened roots, stunted growth, lack of blooms, and leaf drop.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Sauron was bested by some filthy Hobbitses and their pal, Gollum.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Slightly less filthy than the ones on the balcony, those bricks could have used a coat of paint.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
On Saturday, locals and hikers walking along the muddy trail stopped to admire the old brick building with a few empty beer kegs sitting outside.—
Brendan Murray,
Bloomberg,
27 Jan. 2026
-
If anything, the environment has gotten muddier for CEOs looking to do big deals, with disruption in Europe and trade continuing.—
Rohan Goswami,
semafor.com,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The Golden Globes are a pure and true celebration of artistry that stand for unflinching moral justice and should not be sullied by avarice!—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
12 Jan. 2026
-
When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
These findings suggest that strong, organized magnetic fields may have been common in the early universe, especially in dusty starburst galaxies like Arp 220's ancient counterparts.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These Cabernets often deliver bold black currant, plum, and dark chocolate flavors, layered with savory iron, dusty spice, herbs, and mineral notes.—
Liz Thach,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Use of dirty plastic directly To optimize the structure for real-world use, the team utilized computer simulations to identify a design with a high stiffness-to-weight ratio.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Feb. 2026
-
The trucks hauling the snow frolicked in the water, sending dirty gray ripples toward me.—
Naaman Zhou,
New Yorker,
3 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Besmirched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/besmirched. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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