as in staining
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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as in contamination
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Recent Examples of sullying
Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2025
Noun
The problem is, people were drinking a lot of bad ones, sullying their opinion of the drink.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sullying
Verb
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Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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The researchers hope to develop a version that's safe, pleasant-tasting and suitable for large-scale production, without the drawbacks of current treatments like tooth staining, tartar buildup and taste changes in the mouth.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Foodynamics, a pet food company based in Wales, Wisconsin, is voluntarily recalling some of its products due to possible salmonella contamination.—
Eva Wen,
jsonline.com,
25 Oct. 2025
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However, seasonal shapes such as Reese's pumpkins are not gluten-free, due to cross-contamination during production.—
Endia Fontanez,
AZCentral.com,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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High-Heat-Safe Alternatives While enameled cast-iron cookware is excellent to use for braising, roasting, baking, or gentle stovetop cooking, certain high heat applications like searing steak or blackening fish are best done in other types of pans, like traditional cast iron or stainless steel.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
10 Sep. 2025
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Each footstep sent up clouds of dust and ash, coating everything, including my mouth and teeth, in fine grit, blackening my snot and saliva.—
River Selby
August 25,
Literary Hub,
25 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Oklahoma's governor wants to settle the federal lawsuit over pollution of the Illinois River, saying his state's attorney general and the defendant Northwest Arkansas poultry companies are at an impasse, according to a court motion filed Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Oct. 2025
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But the restriction appeared to do little to keep the pollution at bay.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Famously, the British press conspired to draw the dramatist’s name through the mud, besmirching his literary legacy for generations to follow.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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On TikTok, as The Washington Post has reported, some creators are making $5,000 a month using AI tools to write scripts and animate extremely dumb viral videos where old men talk about soiling themselves.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The last two seasons have proven that the team starts off slow, which ends up messing their chances of making the playoffs.—
James Brizuela,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Further damning revelations are about to land, no doubt further muddying the waters.—
Christina Dugan Ramirez , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
15 Oct. 2025
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But now some of the world’s most prominent hotel brands are muddying the waters.—
Chrissie McClatchie,
Robb Report,
27 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Sullying.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sullying. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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