SMIRCH Synonyms: 208 Similar and Opposite Words

smirch 1 of 2

noun

Definition of smirch

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

smirch

2 of 2

verb

ˈsmərch

as in to stain

to make dirty their clothes were smirched by dust from the trail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Though stains on clothes can be permanent, the tomatoes' citric acid acts as a cleaning agent, often leaving Buñol’s streets cleaner than before.

— ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Key Takeaways Clean your bathtub weekly to prevent soap scum, stains, and hard water buildup.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of stain

Verb

Corbin uses cabbage as an anchor in his new and expanding Rolodex of flavors, thrusting it into the fire until the outer layers are blackened and frizzled.

— Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Timber Fire Monterey County’s Timber Fire burning near Big Sur has blackened nearly 2,500 acres since its start Monday afternoon and is 5% contained.

— Darrell Smith, Sacbee.com, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of blacken

Verb

Much of the behavior on display is plainly harassment and bullying, often filmed without the subjects’ knowledge or consent and uploaded online to humiliate them further.

— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 19 Aug. 2026
In their first national title game, the Wildcats humiliated Oklahoma in the national semifinal by 44, and in their second, demoralized Michigan in the title game by 17.

— Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of humiliate

Noun

Even though Thiam denied knowledge of it and was cleared of involvement, the taint of the scandal led to his ouster.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 13 Aug. 2026
On top of worrying about making great wine, European producers will now have to mitigate against smoke taint, save their grapes from frost, and consider how to future-proof vineyards in a rapidly changing climate.

— Kate Dingwall, Bon Appetit Magazine, 31 July 2026

Definition of taint

Verb

In trying to discredit public concerns about data centers as a psyop, Goldman and others said, tech leaders are taking a page out of the intelligence playbook themselves.

— Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2026
Inflicting these details on the jury, the children’s family members, and the public served no discernible purpose in establishing Clancy’s mens rea, which might have discredited her not-guilty plea.

— Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of discredit

Verb

Troubled by all the people besmirching the occupation, a group of agents formed a national trade group in 1908—the one eventually known as NAR.

— Michael Waters, The Atlantic, 22 Aug. 2026
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

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

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Smirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirch. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of smirch

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

dissonant

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes