smirched 1 of 2

adjective

as in stained

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smirched

2 of 2

verb

past tense of smirch
1
as in blackened
to make dirty their clothes were smirched by dust from the trail

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliated
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 smirched
  1. stained
  2. blackened
  3. humiliated
  4. soiled
  5. dirtied
  6. discredited
  7. filthy
  8. besmirched
Adjective
  • Set your iron to its lowest setting—no steam—and place the stained area between two paper towels or lint-free cloths.
    — Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Pushing those briars aside revealed a single splinter of stained glass, bright as a ruby and warm as blood.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of stained
Verb
  • Footage shot later at daybreak showed the house gutted, charred and blackened from the inside out.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
  • On Tuesday, a silver cross on a long chain hung from the pine tree’s bark, which was peeling and blackened from the blaze.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of blackened
Verb
  • But the Saudis, humiliated by their losses in Yemen, seem likely to lash out.
    — Kareem Fahim, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
  • When she and the other part-time employees were told their positions were being eliminated, Valcarcel said she felt humiliated and disrespected.
    — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of humiliated
Adjective
  • The mop head was stored directly inside the mop bucket, soiled and wet, and not in use.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 24, Sacbee.com, 24 July 2026
  • Let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes and blot the excess, or cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for up to 24 hours for heavily soiled or old, set-in spots.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of soiled
Verb
  • When stormwater dirtied by road runoff, failing septic tanks and fertilizer sullied crystal-clear rivers and lakes, and nobody cared.
    — Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board, The Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2026
  • Garments can be dirtied again by the elements if air-dried outside.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Dec. 2025
Definition of dirtied
Verb
  • The arrival of Dutch elm disease not only ravaged these green spaces, but discredited the whole goal of aiming for such uniformity.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The issue here is not with this project, which is building something artistic and beautiful, but with a broader, pro-AI tech culture that has discredited AI and its public image.
    — James Folta, Literary Hub, 14 Sep. 2026
Definition of discredited
Adjective
  • Park advocates have long argued that the existing city allocation is inadequate, leaving neighborhoods with decaying recreation centers, deteriorating swimming pools and filthy park bathrooms.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Raman has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for filthy streets, gridlock and an unresponsive City Hall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of filthy
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
  • 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 besmirched
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.

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Cite this Entry

“Smirched.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirched. Accessed 8 Oct. 2026.

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