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
Relevance
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
Example Sentences
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show current usage.
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Recent Examples of sullied
Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 5 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
Barrick’s North American operations have been sullied by the company’s exposure to higher-risk regions and separating the two would go a long way to close the valuation gap between Barrick and Agnico Eagle.
—Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2025
The market for voluntary carbon offset and removal credits has been struggling for the last several years to repair a reputation sullied by numerous greenwashing scandals.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
The exhibition features his maps and sullied backpack, toothbrush, bar of soap, and survival goods, along with photos of him sleeping on park benches, crouching on the banks of the Hudson in front of ice floes, and haunting the city.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
Those campaigns were seemingly effective; crowds in South Beach last March were much smaller than in the past, when multiple spring break periods had been sullied by shootings, stampedes and curfews.
—Aaron Leibowitz, Miami Herald, 5 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
Barrick’s North American operations have been sullied by the company’s exposure to higher-risk regions and separating the two would go a long way to close the valuation gap between Barrick and Agnico Eagle.
—Kenneth Squire, CNBC, 6 Dec. 2025
The market for voluntary carbon offset and removal credits has been struggling for the last several years to repair a reputation sullied by numerous greenwashing scandals.
—Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 11 Nov. 2025
The exhibition features his maps and sullied backpack, toothbrush, bar of soap, and survival goods, along with photos of him sleeping on park benches, crouching on the banks of the Hudson in front of ice floes, and haunting the city.
—Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullied
Adjective
-
The guest-only Chapel Club has a more plush, salon-like feel and there’s more than a hint of naughtiness with stained glass windows casting color onto the sensual artworks.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Jan. 2026
-
How To Remove Types Of Mattress Stains Step-By-Step Vacuum the mattress and stained area.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
20 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
There's no better tool for making biscuits, cornbread, or blackened chicken than a cast-iron skillet.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Signs of overfeeding include white crust on the pot or media, brown, scorched leaf tips, mushy or blackened roots, stunted growth, lack of blooms, and leaf drop.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Over the last several seasons of the Movies Fantasy League, the one thing that’s been more consistent than the movies, the awards, or Timmy Chalamet scoring a hit in December has been all you players coming up with some of the most clever, goofy, dumb, sometimes filthy names for your teams.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
3 Feb. 2026
-
Traditional mops move filthy water, conventional vacuums push fine dust back into the air and cleaning cloths need to be rinsed to maintain hygienic conditions.—
William Jones,
USA Today,
1 Feb. 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
-
The walk to the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena, which is hosting men’s and women’s competitions at the 2026 Olympic Games, is a muddy one.—
Sean Gregory,
Time,
4 Feb. 2026
-
Once the ground is thawed enough to be worked with—but not oversaturated or muddy-feeling—use a rake or roller to try and even things back out.—
Nishaa Sharma,
The Spruce,
3 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Trump has focused on tourist-friendly areas being besmirched by crime.—
Niall Stanage,
The Hill,
11 Aug. 2025
-
These hardy souls, largely indifferent to political and economic turbulence, were the mainstay of the tourist economy during the civil war that besmirched the lives of an entire generation from the 1980s on.—
Chandrahas Choudhury,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Mar. 2024
Adjective
-
These findings suggest that strong, organized magnetic fields may have been common in the early universe, especially in dusty starburst galaxies like Arp 220's ancient counterparts.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
These Cabernets often deliver bold black currant, plum, and dark chocolate flavors, layered with savory iron, dusty spice, herbs, and mineral notes.—
Liz Thach,
Forbes.com,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
If the jeans are new but heavily soiled, add one tablespoon of laundry detergent to remove the soil.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Washing sheets in hot water every time isn’t necessary for linens that are lightly soiled—think no sweaty nights or sickness.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sullied.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullied. Accessed 7 Feb. 2026.
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