What does sully mean?
To sully is to make something dirty or, more commonly, to damage its reputation, honor, integrity, or value. The word is strongly negative and is usually transitive: a scandal may sully a public figure's name, while an unfair accusation can sully an institution's good name. Its literal sense—covering or marking something with dirt—is still perfectly intelligible, especially in descriptions of materials, land, or water, but figurative usage dominates modern English. Sully carries more than a neutral suggestion of spoiling; it implies contamination, disgrace, or lasting moral damage. That makes it especially useful when discussing misconduct, scandal, corruption, or the way a once-trusted reputation is impaired. The word appears in formal and literary writing, though it remains common in general English. Because it evokes both physical filth and social disgrace, it often conveys more vivid condemnation than words such as harm or spoil.
verbTo make dirty or stained; especially, to damage the purity, reputation, integrity, or value of something by association or action.
- To damage the reputation, honor, integrity, or value of someone or something.
- To make something dirty, stained, or contaminated.
"The allegations sullied an institution that had long prided itself on its integrity."
"The director attempted to sully the witness's credibility before the inquiry began."
"After several days of heavy rain, muddy runoff began to sully the lower path."
Once a word for literal filth, sully now usually paints scandal on a reputation.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does sully come from?
The word entered English during the Middle English period as sullien or suillien, borrowed from Anglo-French suillier, meaning “to make dirty,” from an Old French form associated with soil. It later extended from literal soiling to figurative tarnishing of reputation and honor. The related words include soil, soiled, and soiling, although the deeper historical origin of soil is uncertain.
Related word forms
How sully is actually used
The word is strongly negative and commonly used in formal, literary, or journalistic prose. It is normally transitive, and figurative usage is much more frequent today than literal usage.
Easily confused with sully
Sully means to soil or discredit, whereas sulky means outwardly bad-tempered or moody.
Sully means to contaminate or tarnish, while silly means foolish, absurd, or playful.