What does sullied mean?
Sullied describes something that has been made dirty, stained, or otherwise spoiled. Its literal use refers to material marked by dirt or contamination, but the word is especially common in figurative descriptions of reputations, reputations’ honour, and public standing. To sully a reputation is to damage its trustworthiness or prestige; to be sullied by association is to acquire a taint of disgrace, suspicion, or immorality. The word often appears in formal prose, journalism, and literary contexts, where it conveys a lasting or conspicuous blemish rather than a trivial stain. Because it carries both physical and moral associations, sullied can be especially effective when the subject is metaphorical, as when a person’s character or an institution’s name has been affected by misconduct. Its air of formality gives it more weight than a neutral word such as dirtied, especially when describing an accusation, scandal, or betrayal.
Dirty, stained, or tarnished; figuratively, damaged in reputation, value, or moral standing.
"The river remained sullied long after the industrial discharge had stopped."
Frequently metaphorical, especially when describing a reputation, name, or honour.
To make dirty or stained, or to tarnish or damage the reputation or character of someone or something.
"The witness alleged that the false claims had sullied the senator’s career."
The past tense and past participle are sullied; it is commonly used in figurative, formal contexts.
A single word can describe everything from muddy water to a reputation permanently marked by disgrace: to sully is to make the world—or someone’s standing in it—dirty.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sullied come from?
The word comes from Middle English sullien, meaning to make dirty, which developed from Old French souiller or a closely related form. That French word is connected with the English soil, in the sense of dirt or mud. The original physical sense of making something dirty later broadened into the figurative senses of staining, tarnishing, and damaging a reputation or character.
Related word forms
How sullied is actually used
Sullied is literary and often carries a stronger moral or reputational implication than merely being dirty. It is commonly used in formal or figurative contexts, particularly with names, reputations, honours, and waters.
Easily confused with sullied
Sullied means made dirty or morally tainted, whereas soured means turned bad, especially in relation to milk, or became disagreeable.