besmirch Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. verb charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
    sully; smirch; smear; defame; asperse; slander; denigrate; calumniate.
    • The journalists have defamed me!" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation
  2. verb smear so as to make dirty or stained
    smirch.

WordNet

Be*smirch" transitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Besmirched present participle & verbal noun Besmirching
Definitions
  1. To smirch or soil; to discolor; to obscure. Hence: To dishonor; to sully. Shak.

Webster 1913