besmirch
Other forms: besmirched; besmirching; besmirches
To besmirch means to dirty or tarnish, particularly someone's reputation — like when you call Billy a cheater at kickball (even though you know he's just better at bunting than you).
Besmirch may sound kind of funny, but it goes hand in hand with other hurtful words like defame and slander. It can also mean to literally stain something. So that time you tracked mud all over the new white carpet and then blamed it on your little brother? That was a double besmirching — dirtying the rug and then falsely accusing a sibling.
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smear so as to make dirty or stained
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charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
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types:
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assassinate
destroy or damage seriously, as of someone's reputation
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libel
print slanderous statements against
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badmouth, drag through the mud, malign, traduce
speak unfavorably about
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assassinate
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Vocabulary lists containing besmirch
Following their victory in the "War of the Five Kings," the Lannisters consolidate their power on the Iron Throne. Although the war in the Seven Kingdoms has wound down, new conflicts arise in its bitter aftermath.
In this nonfiction book, Gail Jarrow chronicles the life of James Garfield, detailing Garfield's early life, his rise to become the 20th president of the United States, and the events and aftermath of his assassination.
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