Definitions
charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
Word origin
From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- + smirch.
Used in a sentence
“The newspaper was on a campaign to besmirch the actor.”
“Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd With rainy marching in the painful field”
“"It may be," he replied, "because I will not encounter the dishonor that besmirches the husband of a faithless woman.[…]"”
Source: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0
Used as a crossword answer1 curated clues
01“Slander someone's name”8 letters
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