as in stained
not clean
lying in sullied bed linens that had not seen the inside of a washing machine for some time
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in blackened
to make dirty
people that sully our state parks with their trash a once-gleaming marble interior sullied by decades of exposure to cigarette smoke
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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Recent Examples of sullied
Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
He was accused of abusing boys, a charge that went unproven but sullied his reputation in Europe.
—Amanda Rosa
updated April 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
But a battlefield promotion to Ayatollah was arranged, blending faith with politics in an exercise that critics said sullied both even before Khamenei reinforced his position by earthly means, elevating the IRGC.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Revelations in 2020 that Boohoo’s Leicester contractors were subjecting their workers to exploitative pay and unsafe conditions certainly sullied the Midlands city’s reputation.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
The publicity emails sent from Amazon regarding the movie have no individual names or email addresses attached, as though no one wanted their career or personal brand sullied by association.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
The Golden Globes are a pure and true celebration of artistry that stand for unflinching moral justice and should not be sullied by avarice!
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
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
The brewery’s brand has been sullied by Harvey Weinstein-level ick that the PR response so far has just made worse.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
Verb
Soap invited its viewers to take jabs at the genre in a time when the soap opera’s reputation had already been sullied in the American mind.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
He was accused of abusing boys, a charge that went unproven but sullied his reputation in Europe.
—Amanda Rosa
updated April 28, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026
But a battlefield promotion to Ayatollah was arranged, blending faith with politics in an exercise that critics said sullied both even before Khamenei reinforced his position by earthly means, elevating the IRGC.
—Karl Vick, Time, 28 Feb. 2026
Revelations in 2020 that Boohoo’s Leicester contractors were subjecting their workers to exploitative pay and unsafe conditions certainly sullied the Midlands city’s reputation.
—Jasmin Malik Chua, Sourcing Journal, 6 Feb. 2026
The publicity emails sent from Amazon regarding the movie have no individual names or email addresses attached, as though no one wanted their career or personal brand sullied by association.
—Sophie Gilbert, The Atlantic, 30 Jan. 2026
The Golden Globes are a pure and true celebration of artistry that stand for unflinching moral justice and should not be sullied by avarice!
—Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 12 Jan. 2026
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
The brewery’s brand has been sullied by Harvey Weinstein-level ick that the PR response so far has just made worse.
—Theoden Janes, Charlotte Observer, 31 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullied
Adjective
-
The frame structures already standing would hold stained glass in the finished church for a congregation that formed in the 1890s.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
2 June 2026
-
Sprinkle borax into the toilet bowl, focusing on stained areas.—
Louise Parks,
Martha Stewart,
2 June 2026
Verb
-
Inside, boards blackened by smoke and sweat, the air sweet with cane and forgetting.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
19 May 2026
-
Sepsis had left his skin peeling and his body blackened, including parts of his fingers, ears, lips and lower legs.—
Gina Kalsi,
PEOPLE,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
The president had complained about filthy water and a leaking foundation, according to previous USA TODAY reporting.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
3 June 2026
-
And some of the best evidence of the lovebugs’ comeback came last week at the Turkey Lake Service Plaza on Florida’s Turnpike, where filthy, splattered cars and trucks queued up before the plaza’s automatic windshield washer.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
27 May 2026
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
Adjective
-
Her muddy blond hair, on the other hand, found middle ground between the hyper-trendy wet look and the classic straight hair tuck, featuring loose, sleek waves courtesy of stylist Laini Reeves.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
4 June 2026
-
The rescue team was able to pump enough water out of the system for four miners to crawl out of the muddy abyss on Saturday, authorities said.—
Aicha El Hammar Castano,
ABC News,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
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
-
And thus one of the more wholesome and fun events in the White House calendar was besmirched by a man who simply cannot stop with the zero-sum partisan nonsense even when surrounded by impressionable young faces.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
If that bottle hiding in the back of your bar cart is dusty and doesn't taste the same, buy a fresh one.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
-
The shoes also come in a range of standout colorways, including an electric orange-and-blue combo and an off-white-and-dusty-gray pair.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Pods are convenient and mess-free, but cost more and lack flexibility for delicate or heavily soiled loads.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
1 June 2026
-
From the back, Paul's clothing appears soiled and she is covered in bandages.—
Tabitha Parent,
PEOPLE,
6 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sullied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullied. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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