as in stains
a mark of guilt or disgrace
corruption charges that were a smirch on her reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blackens
to make dirty
their clothes were smirched by dust from the trail
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in humiliates
to reduce to a lower standing in one's own eyes or in others' eyes
this scandal will forever smirch the name of a once-great family
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smirches
Noun
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Using a fabric rinse instead of detergent can also break down stubborn deodorant stains.
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Furniture bears scratches, repairs, and stains that remind us that somebody was here before.
Verb
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As the salmon blackens in a skillet, the spices awaken, encrusting the fish in peppery piquant.
Verb
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Diomande just humiliates fullbacks.
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Incompetent leadership humiliates us on the global stage.
Noun
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Dabbing the cloth in rubbing alcohol, working away the dirty blots on the glass, waiting for the haze in my head to focus, and a new line to come to me.
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One of the few blots on last summer’s Leeds copybook.
Verb
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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.
Verb
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The praiseworthyness of having both sides of the debate evaporates when the host actively discredits the expert and reflexively enhances the legitimacy of the conspiracy theorist.
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Yet despite its popularity, research discredits this long-standing belief.
Verb
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The eggs were fluffy, lacking any of the rubbery slop that besmirches lesser breakfast burritos.
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This cynicism inevitably besmirches players, coaches, and referees who have no ties to gambling.
Verb
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Ships, like airplanes, are designed with fluid dynamics in mind, and biofoul seriously messes that up.
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From pet hair to crumbs, this Shark handheld cordless vacuum cleaner can tackle messes large and small, thanks to strong suction and a self-cleaning brush that resists pet hair accumulation.
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Cite this Entry
“Smirches.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smirches. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.
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