(v)tarnish, stain, maculate, sully, defilemake dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically“The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air”, “Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man”
(v)defame, slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirchcharge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone“The journalists have defamed me!”, “The article in the paper sullied my reputation”