unbesmirched

9.1

Having a clean reputation with no scandal

adjective
/ˌʌnbɪˈsmɜrʧt/

Formal

: intachable

The journalist ensured her report was unbesmirched by any false information.

Examples

The charity maintains an unbesmirched image, focusing solely on helping others.
She thought of the Venus de Milo, and then of a goddess, white, pure, and unbesmirched, radiating some sort of power.

Fiction book (1994)
His unbesmirched reputation made him a trustworthy candidate for the position.

Synonyms

unblemished

vsunbesmirched

7 5.1

Free from any marks, damage, or bad actions

focuses more narrowly on reputation and lack of taint

unsullied

vsunbesmirched

5 7.0

Completely clean and not spoiled or stained

shares purity sense but can apply more widely to things

untainted

vsunbesmirched

4 5.6

Not harmed by bad things, especially in reputation

means the same but stresses absence of external taint

unpolluted

vsunbesmirched

3 3.9

Clean and not made dirty by harmful substances

applies to moral reputation rather than physical contamination

untarnished

vsunbesmirched

2 5.5

Not spoiled or stained and still in good condition

expresses the same purity but with slightly broader use

unsmirched

vsunbesmirched

Archaic

1 9.6

Free from stains, dirt, or a bad reputation

has identical meaning but differs only as an alternate form

undefiled

vsunbesmirched

1 9.9

Not spoiled by dirt, harm, or bad things

matches this purity sense while stressing not being stained

unmarred

vsunbesmirched

1 6.8

Not damaged or harmed

is similar but emphasizes not being stained in reputation

unstained

vsunbesmirched

1 5.6

Not having a damaged reputation

is the same sense but focuses on purity of character

unsordid

vsunbesmirched

1 9.9

Honest and pure in actions and motives

is about lack of stain but not only moral uprightness

undented

vsunbesmirched

1 5.1

A person or thing that stays strong after problems

is about lacking reputational blemish rather than general resilience

unblamable

vsunbesmirched

8.0

Free from fault and not open to criticism

relates to absence of blame rather than general purity

unfallen

vsunbesmirched

Literature

9.9

A person or thing that has not done wrong and seems pure

overlaps in purity but is more religiously framed

unbruised

vsunbesmirched

4.2

Not hurt in feelings or reputation after criticism

focuses on absence of damage rather than lack of stain

Antonyms

tainted

4.5

Spoiled and unsafe because it has rot or something harmful

How Untainted

pristine

63 5.1

unbesmirched

Formal

9.1

untainted

4 5.6

clean

418 1.0

Surface Forms

unbesmirched positive

Morphology

unbesmirched = besmirched (transparent) = un + be + smirch + ed

Formed by negating the adjective 'besmirched' with the productive prefix 'un-', yielding the straightforward meaning 'not tarnished'.

Etymology

Unbesmirched is made of un- ('not') and besmirch ('to smear' or 'to stain'), and besmirch is like the common word smear. So, unbesmirched means 'not stained' and is often used for a clean reputation or good name.