Synonyms of sully

sully

verb

ˈsə-lē 

as in to stain

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

• stain
• blacken
• dirty
• besmirch
• befoul
• muck
• soil
• muddy
• mess
• smudge
• smirch
• pollute
• contaminate
• daub
• mire
• grime
• taint
• gaum
• foul
• distain
• defile
• bemire
• begrime
• discolor
• disarrange
• confuse
• disarray
• muddle
• jumble
• dishevel
• disorder
• draggle
• colly
• crock

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• clean
• cleanse
• purify
• purge
• wipe
• decontaminate
• wash
• sanitize
• disinfect
• sweep
• scrub
• renew
• brush
• scour
• rinse
• launder
• brighten
• dust
• mop
• freshen
• straighten (up)
• spruce (up)
• dry-clean
• deodorize
• tidy (up)

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of sully

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

And could a second season, sans the extraordinary talents of Steven Yeun and Ali Wong, deliver a story and themes in keeping with that brand, without sullying what was so deviously tricky about the original series and its tone? — Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 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

Social media was full of people accusing Canada of sullying the great sport and sportsmanship of curling. — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 14 Feb. 2026

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