smirch 1 of 2

noun

Definition of smirchnext
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace corruption charges that were a smirch on her reputation

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

smirch

2 of 2

verb

ˈsmərch How to pronounce smirch (audio)
1
as in to stain
to make dirty their clothes were smirched by dust from the trail

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to humiliate
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes this scandal will forever smirch the name of a once-great family

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirch
  1. stain
  2. blacken
  3. humiliate
  4. taint
  5. dirty
  6. discredit
  7. blot
  8. besmirch
Noun
  • There are few actual notes to his melodies, just smudges and stains.
    — Philip Sherburne, Pitchfork, 30 July 2026
  • But none of those items had blood stains, which would have suggested a stabbing.
    — Yana Johnson, NBC news, 29 July 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • It was blackened, charred, the conductor that had drawn the single precise punch of lightning.
    — Brian Truitt, USA Today, 27 July 2026
  • If basil is exposed to freezing temperatures, the result is frost damage that can cause leaves to blacken.
    — Heather Bien, The Spruce, 26 July 2026
Definition of blacken
Verb
  • Rudi Garcia then arguably drew up the game plan of the tournament, leaving Lukaku, Kevin De Bruyne and Jeremy Doku out of his starting XI and still managing to humiliate the hosts.
    — Adam Crafton, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • The Fijians were tough and clinical in a huge turnaround from last weekend when they were humiliated by England 73-8 in Liverpool.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 July 2026
Definition of humiliate
Noun
  • The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • There’s a purity here, the course free from the taint of bureaucracy governing so much of the academy.
    — Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of taint
Verb
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
  • The zipper shoe compartment keeps your shoes from dirtying up your clothing, and the massive interior can hold many outfits for your weekend getaway.
    — Olivia Dubyak, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • Those looking to discredit Fauci will surely make hay of these journal entries, which run from December 2019 to December 2022.
    — Gal Beckerman, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026
  • But questions about the former official’s notes may be intended to do more than shed light on the pandemic’s origins or discredit Fauci’s work.
    — Helen Branswell, STAT, 28 July 2026
Definition of discredit
Noun
  • This will likely go down as the lowest point – the blot on what has been a surprisingly bright summer.
    — Mark Sappenfield, Christian Science Monitor, 7 July 2026
  • The only blot on an otherwise solid opening week for the World Cup expansion loyalists.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of blot
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
  • Bryna Laub, editor of Daytime Serial Newsletter, felt the show besmirched the sanctity of soaps and contributed to the broader currents of shame surrounding the genre.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Definition of 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.

Browse Nearby Words

smilingly
smirch
smirched
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Cite this Entry

“Smirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirch. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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