besmirch

/bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/

//bɪˈsmɜːtʃ// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"besmirch" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“besmirch” is uncommon English (frequency #94,587 among 31,241 “B” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#94,587
frequency rank, English
31,241
“B” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To make dirty.

Key facts for besmirch
PropertyValue
Headwordbesmirch
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/
Letters8
Frequency rank#94,587
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “besmirch” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). besmirch lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

besmirch is uncommon English at frequency #94,587 among 31,241 “B” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

No misspelling variants are generated for besmirch in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- + smirch. The correct English form is besmirch, spelled B-E-S-M-I-R-C-H.

Definition

  1. 1
    To make dirty.
  2. 2
    To tarnish something, especially someone's reputation.

Etymology

From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- + smirch.

This word in other languages

ensuciar(Español)salir(Français)beschmutzen(Deutsch)sujar(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "besmirch"?
"besmirch" is spelled B-E-S-M-I-R-C-H. The IPA pronunciation is /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/.
What does "besmirch" mean?
As a verb, "besmirch" means: To make dirty.
How do you pronounce "besmirch"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "besmirch" is /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "besmirch"?
From Middle English besmorchen (attested in besmorchid). Compare Middle English bismotered (“bespattered, soiled”). By surface analysis, be- + smirch. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “besmirch”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is B-E-S-M-I-R-C-H - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /bɪˈsmɜːtʃ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list