besmirch
verb
be·smirch
bi-ˈsmərch 
bē-
besmirched; besmirching; besmirches
: to cause harm or damage to the purity, luster, or beauty of (something) : sully, soil
besmirching her reputation
High ideals were besmirched by cruelty and greed …—
R. A. Newhall
R. A. NewhallAlthough the accusations against Normand were unsupported, her name was besmirched.—John Lahr
John LahrDarwin was exasperated by Wallace's gullibility and feared that his activities would somehow besmirch the theory of evolution.—Anthony Gottlieb
Anthony GottliebThe problem is that the vast majority of people of all nations … cherish their national myths too much to want mere facts, or even assertions of historical doubt, to besmirch them.—Max Hastings
Max Hastings
Did you know?
Since the prefix be- in besmirch means "to make or cause to be," when you besmirch something, you cause it to have a smirch. What's a smirch? A smirch is a stain, and to smirch something is to stain it or make it dirty. By extension, the verb smirch came to mean "to bring discredit or disgrace on." Smirch and besmirch, then, mean essentially the same thing.
Examples of besmirch in a Sentence
inconsiderately besmirched the carpet with their dirty feet
Recent Examples on the Web
This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.
—Danny Funt, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
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
The tone that the organization took on the Aspiration scandal was reaffirmed by Leonard himself: that his name being besmirched in new ways just as the season was about to get underway would not deter Leonard or his team from focusing on the evergreen goal of making a run at a title.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Conservative leaders and administrations have besmirched the rule of law in the Republic's gravest scandals; Teapot Dome under Harding, Watergate under Nixon, Iran–Contra under Reagan, and multiple scandals in the Trump era.
—Allan J. Lichtman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
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Danny Funt, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025
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
The tone that the organization took on the Aspiration scandal was reaffirmed by Leonard himself: that his name being besmirched in new ways just as the season was about to get underway would not deter Leonard or his team from focusing on the evergreen goal of making a run at a title.
—Law Murray, New York Times, 30 Sep. 2025
Conservative leaders and administrations have besmirched the rule of law in the Republic's gravest scandals; Teapot Dome under Harding, Watergate under Nixon, Iran–Contra under Reagan, and multiple scandals in the Trump era.
—Allan J. Lichtman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for besmirch
Cite this Entry
“Besmirch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/besmirch. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
besmirch
verb
be·smirch
bi-ˈsmərch
: to make soiled or less pure
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