Besmirched

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /bɪˈsmɜrtʃt/

Definitions of besmirched

verb to damage the reputation of someone or something

Example Sentences

A1 She besmirched her reputation by spreading rumors.

A2 The politician's opponents tried to besmirch his character with false accusations.

B1 The company's image was besmirched after the scandal broke.

B2 The journalist was accused of besmirching the company's name in her article.

C1 The artist's legacy was besmirched by allegations of plagiarism.

C2 The historian's reputation was besmirched when it was revealed that he had falsified evidence in his research.

adjective having been damaged in reputation

Example Sentences

A1 The besmirched shirt was thrown in the laundry.

A2 She felt embarrassed by the besmirched reputation of her family.

B1 The politician's besmirched past came to light during the election campaign.

B2 The artist's legacy was unfairly besmirched by unfounded rumors.

C1 The journalist's reputation was besmirched by accusations of plagiarism.

C2 The company's image was besmirched by a series of scandals.

Examples of besmirched in a Sentence

formal The reputation of the company was besmirched by the scandal.

informal She felt her name was besmirched by the false rumors.

slang He didn't want his good name besmirched by the gossip.

figurative The once pristine white dress was now besmirched with mud stains.

Grammatical Forms of besmirched

past tense

besmirched

plural

besmirched

comparative

more besmirched

superlative

most besmirched

present tense

besmirches

future tense

will besmirch

perfect tense

have besmirched

continuous tense

is besmirching

singular

besmirched

positive degree

besmirched

infinitive

to besmirch

gerund

besmirching

participle

besmirched

Origin and Evolution of besmirched

First Known Use: 1400 year
Language of Origin: Middle English
Story behind the word: The word 'besmirched' originated from Middle English, derived from the combination of 'be-' and 'smirchen' which means to sully or soil.
Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'besmirched' has retained its original meaning of being dirtied or stained, but has also taken on a more metaphorical sense of tarnishing one's reputation or character.