0 to say bad things about someone to influence other people's opinion of them:
His accusations were false, but they served to besmirch her reputation.
Secondly, he was a fellow bishop and these attacks besmirched the honour of the office which he shared with other prelates.
If we besmirch each other long enough, the public will soon conclude that we are all frauds.
He should have resigned rather than engage in this piece of naked class legislation which will besmirch his name for a long time.
Nothing is gained by keeping him in prison, and the good name of those who are responsible for doing so is besmirched.
Those hooligans have shamed our nation and besmirched our international reputation.
Consider the people concerned in the last two or three tribunals whose reputations have been besmirched for ever.
The appalling conditions in some of our kennels besmirch our reputation as a nation of pet lovers.
It can help us to rid football of the hooliganism that has besmirched our national game for far too long.
