sully

verb
UK: /ˈsʌli/
US: /ˈsʌli/

  1. To damage or spoil the purity or appearance of something.

    1. Dirt can sully a white shirt easily.
    2. The scandal could sully his reputation for years to come.

  2. To make something dirty, especially morally or spiritually.

    1. Don't sully your hands with that.
    2. He feared the war would sully his soul irreparably.

Synonyms

stain tarnish defile dirty soil blemish disgrace smear
sully noun

  1. Something that has been damaged or spoiled.

    1. The stain was a sully on her dress.
    2. The past left a sully on his otherwise spotless record.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "sully" in English means: To damage or spoil the purity or appearance of something., To make something dirty, especially morally or spiritually..

The phonetic transcription of "sully" is /ˈsʌli/ in British English and /ˈsʌli/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "sully": stain, tarnish, defile, dirty, soil, blemish, disgrace, smear.

Example usage of "sully": "Dirt can sully a white shirt easily.". More examples on the page.