: To sully or tarnish a person's standing (e.g., "the scandal besmirched the politician's career").
: Frequently used in literature to describe a loss of dignity or purity. Word Origins besmirch
: To literally dirty or stain a surface (e.g., "muddy boots besmirched the new carpet"). : To sully or tarnish a person's standing (e
is a verb that means to damage the purity, luster, or beauty of something—essentially, to stain or soil it. While it can describe physical dirt, it is most often used metaphorically to describe harming someone's reputation or "good name". Usage & Meaning or beauty of something—essentially