as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
corruption charges that were a smirch on her reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to stain
to make dirty
their clothes were smirched by dust from the trail
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirch
Noun
-
Cleaning Pots And Pans Coffee grounds are a natural abrasive and can be added to any dish soap and water combo to scrub away pesky scum and food stains.—
Joey Skladany,
Southern Living,
17 June 2026 -
Next, apply a lipstick or lip stain with a matte finish—ideally patted on with your fingers—to finish it off.—
Margaux Anbouba,
Vogue,
17 June 2026
Verb
-
Leaves and buds that are bitten by frost will blacken and shrivel, sometimes all over the plant.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
-
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
Verb
-
Only the United States was humiliated; both countries have experienced a catastrophic loss.—
Graeme Wood,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
-
However, they were then humiliated 2-1, after extra time, by second division side Torreense in the final.—
Liam Twomey,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.—
Antonio Pequeño IV,
Forbes.com,
22 May 2026
-
The good news is that the gala survived its Bezos taint.—
Culture Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
5 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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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Instead, they are encouraged to view blue zones primarily through the lens of a sloppy critique that has already been discredited.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
20 June 2026
-
This doesn’t discredit the fact that mental and physical changes from menopause can be disorienting and jarring.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Dabbing the cloth in rubbing alcohol, working away the dirty blots on the glass, waiting for the haze in my head to focus, and a new line to come to me.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
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Allow the garment to soak for 2 to 3 minutes, then remove it from the detergent solution and blot with a white paper towel or cloth.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
Verb
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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
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Cite this Entry
“Smirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirch. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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