as in blackens
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
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Recent Examples of sullies
In its first go-round, Beef was ripe with curiosity about first-gen immigrant families and how the fear of leaving home stagnates and sullies us.
—
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
For all the ways Disney’s move sullies it with creatives in Hollywood, OpenAI’s new partner does the opposite — gives it massive cred in Silicon Valley.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 16 Apr. 2026
For all the ways Disney’s move sullies it with creatives in Hollywood, OpenAI’s new partner does the opposite — gives it massive cred in Silicon Valley.
—Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 12 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullies
Verb
-
As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.—
The Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The adventurous actress dirties up her frock and face to play the village pariah, who reeks of fish and would be no man’s idea of a suitable wife, except perhaps the one-eyed bum who sleeps in the town square.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The eggs were fluffy, lacking any of the rubbery slop that besmirches lesser breakfast burritos.—
Carolyn Burt,
Oc Register,
1 Dec. 2025
-
This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.—
Danny Funt,
New Yorker,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
In the state’s view, that weakens or muddies the legal boundary between the two types of gambling venues.—
Amanda Greenwood,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 Mar. 2026
-
Higher inflation alongside signs of a weaker labor market also muddies the interest rate outlook.—
Sarah Min,
CNBC,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
This rug can stand up to all your pets’ messes with its durable fibers that are easy to spot-clean.—
Shea Simmons,
Southern Living,
16 Apr. 2026
-
The latter may be tied to iron deficiency from irregular periods, plus the drop in estrogen, which messes with the dopamine activity that regulates muscle control.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sullies.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullies. Accessed 22 Apr. 2026.
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