sully

UK: English: /ˈsʌlɪ/, French: /sylli/ US: /ˈsʌli/ ,(sul′ē)

Inflections of 'sully' (n): npl: sullies

Inflections of 'sully' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

sullies

v 3rd person singular

sullying

v pres p

sullied

v past

sullied

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

sul•ly /ˈsʌli/   v. [~ + object] , -lied, -ly•ing. 

1. to make dirty;
   to stain or tarnish.
2. to ruin the purity or luster of;
   defile:
   to sully a reputation.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

sul•ly  (sul′ē), v., -lied, -ly•ing, n., pl. -lies. 
v.t. 

1. to soil, stain, or tarnish.
2. to mar the purity or luster of;
   defile:
   to sully a reputation.

v.i. 

3. to become sullied, soiled, or tarnished.

n. 

4. [Obs.] a stain;
   soil.

• origin, originally uncertain 1585–95

sul′li•a•ble, adj. 
Synonyms

• 1. taint, blemish, contaminate.
• 2. dirty, disgrace, dishonor.

Sul•ly  (sul′ē; for 1 also Fr. sy lē′), n. 

Ma•xi•mi•lien de Bé•thune  (mak sē mē lyan′ də bā tyn′), Duc de, 1560–1641, French statesman.
1. Biographical Thomas, 1783–1872, U.S. painter, born in England.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sully / ˈsʌlɪ/ verb ( -lies, -lying, -lied)

1. to stain or tarnish (a reputation, etc) or (of a reputation) to become stained or tarnished

Etymology: 16th Century: probably from French souiller to soil

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Sully / ˈsʌlɪ sylli/ noun

1. Maximilien de Béthune ( maksimiljɛ̃ də betyn ), Duc de Sully. 1559–1641, French statesman; minister of Henry IV. He helped restore the finances of France after the Wars of Religion