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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of sully
The scale of the fraud in Minnesota dwarfs the roughly $100 million welfare scandal that rocked Mississippi from 2016 to 2019, embroiling former NFL quarterback Brett Favre in a civil lawsuit and sullying the state’s reputation for oversight.
—
The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 20 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
See All Example Sentences for sully
The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 20 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
See All Example Sentences for sully
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sully
Verb
-
Classic raised garden beds made of wood and stained to protect them from the elements are a good way to pack a lot of plants into a small space.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Feb. 2026
-
Liu says her favorite flavor is the dark chocolate mochi, coated in enough cocoa powder to stain your fingers and likely your shirt.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
And Hanceville’s fate is as murky as the fog that pours in at night, blotting out buildings and blackening the road ahead.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
7 Feb. 2026
-
These tungsten atoms would then condense on the slightly cooler inside of the glass bulb, blackening it and dimming the light over time.—
Natalia Sánchez Loayza,
Scientific American,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The spoon even comes with measuring lines for a teaspoon and tablespoon, saving you from having to dirty another utensil.—
Melanie Fincher,
Southern Living,
10 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
Imagine having the gall to besmirch the name of a young mother killed for trying to speak up for her neighbors or of an ICU nurse shot in the back for trying to tend to a woman who had been pepper-sprayed in the face.—
Sasha Abramsky,
Washington Post,
2 Feb. 2026
-
The lack of awards buzz shouldn’t besmirch Amanda Seyfried’s performance here, though, which is great.—
Savannah Salazar,
Vulture,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
They should not be thrown, jumped off, eaten, screamed at, or otherwise befouled.—
Eddie Small,
New Yorker,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The natural world may be past saving, particularly as a habitat for the species that has so utterly befouled it, and, yet, what else is there to do but keep on keeping on?—
Nick Paumgarten,
The New Yorker,
19 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sully.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sully. Accessed 13 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
