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
  • Often, the words and language delivered to our brains come with a shine or a stain.
    — Chris John Amorosino, Hartford Courant, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Patinkin cautions that long-wearing lipsticks and stains may dry too quickly to blend, while oily balms may not stay put on skin.
    — Ashley Lynch, Kansas City Star, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • The necklace features a set of round brilliant cut diamonds set in 18 carat blackened white gold and yellow gold.
    — Meg Walters, InStyle, 7 Nov. 2026
  • As Jones finishes off Laveaux with a final spray of her air gun and blackens his teeth, other actors are lining up.
    — Jenelle Riley, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of blacken
Verb
  • From the very start, the students assigned as guards went on cruel power trips and repeatedly humiliated — if not psychologically tortured — the inmates, to the point that some of the prisoners suffered nervous breakdowns.
    — Frank Landymore, Futurism, 29 Oct. 2026
  • The Packers come off an angry loss while the Panthers were humiliated on Sunday.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 29 Oct. 2026
Definition of humiliate
Noun
  • The company has previously harvested grapes that could not be made into wine following wildfire smoke-taint, including from Cates’ own vineyard.
    — Lizzie Kane, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • 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
Definition of taint
Verb
  • To even wade into the arguments might dirty your hands, and mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Verb
  • In his closing arguments Monday, Nov 2, attorney Ian Winter worked to discredit and downplay the six women whose allegations anchor the criminal case against Brand (via Sky News).
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2026
  • With the midterms now days away, the complaint is part of an urgent effort to discredit Peltola in a must-win Senate race that could easily determine the upper chamber’s majority.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of discredit
Noun
  • Would not winning a World Series have left a blot on the lives of Cubs fans?
    — Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Liz’s view Anthropic’s IPO prospectus is a perfect ink-blot test.
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of blot
Verb
  • Our nation’s capital is besmirched, on his say-so, with signs and banners bearing his likeness and name.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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 11 Nov. 2026.

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