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

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
  1. stain
  2. blacken
  3. humiliate
  4. taint
  5. dirty
  6. discredit
  7. blot
  8. besmirch
Noun
  • And some tree fruits, such as mulberries and cherries, can leave stains on siding, roofs, and decks that are difficult to remove.
    — Viveka Neveln, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026
  • Remove Mold Stains From Painted Walls Kill mold spores and lighten moldy stains by spraying the area with undiluted hydrogen peroxide.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 14 July 2026
Definition of stain
Verb
  • Large sections of the ceiling were destroyed, blackened and charred, while the floor and tables below, some still with beer bottles on them, were blanketed in ash and debris.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 July 2026
  • Pictures shared on social media after the fire was extinguished showed chairs and tables inside the pub completely charred and blackened, with parts of the ceiling peeling off.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 July 2026
Definition of blacken
Verb
  • The Iranians are now setting the terms of this conflict and are routinely humiliating the American president.
    — Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026
  • One has to be willing to humiliate oneself in order to yodel, there is no spiritual bypass.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 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
  • He was barred from challenging Putin in 2024 and was declared a foreign agent last week, a designation that the Kremlin often uses to discredit its opponents.
    — Yuliya Talmazan, NBC news, 17 July 2026
  • Speculation of Israeli effort to discredit Khan The allegations against Khan came at a moment of intense scrutiny of the ICC.
    — Christiane Amanpour, CNN Money, 16 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 22 Jul. 2026.

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