Difference between Besmirch and Sully

BESMIRCH vs SULLY: NOUN

United States painter (born in England) of portraits and historical scenes (1783-1872)
Something that stains or spots.
Soil; tarnish; spot.
Soil; tarnish; stain.
French statesman (1560-1641)

To tarnish, especially someone's reputation; to debase.
To make dirty; to soil.
Smear so as to make dirty or stained
Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone

Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically
Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon
Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone
To soil or stain; to dirty
To damage or corrupt

To mar the cleanness or luster of; soil or stain.
To soil; to dirty; to spot; to tarnish; to stain; to darken; -- used literally and figuratively.
To defile; taint.

Also used metaphorically
Thomas,British-born American painter of portraits and historical scenes, such as Washington's Passage of the Delaware (c. 1818).
French politician. As chief minister to Henry IV, he replenished the treasury and encouraged agriculture and industry.
To soil; stain; tarnish; defile.
Figuratively, to stain or tarnish morally.
To be or become soiled or tarnished.
To dim; darken.

Demean, Impugn, Blacken, Malign, Discredit, Tar, Tarnish, Calumniate, Smirch, Asperse, Slander, Defame, Denigrate, Smear, Sully

Mar, Smirch, Maculate, Calumniate, Asperse, Cloud, Corrupt, Slander, Defile, Defame, Smear, Denigrate, Taint, Besmirch, Tarnish

Disparage, Defile, Dishonor, Belittle, Demean, Blacken, Malign, Discredit, Tar, Tarnish, Smirch, Slander, Denigrate, Smear, Sully

Blur, Pollute, Stain, Mar, Smirch, Maculate, Cloud, Corrupt, Slander, Defile, Smear, Denigrate, Taint, Besmirch, Tarnish

Adamson was furious with this, claiming that the writers had added this twist deliberately in order to besmirch Len's memory.
There are skeptic people in this world who like to besmirch the name of some hard working folks.
All who continually besmirch the name of Christ through their ongoing, unrepentant sin should be dealt with appropriately.
In their eyes I was a loose cannon, who could ultimately besmirch the family friendly brand.
These things get around, and unethical practices tend to besmirch even innocent bystanders like yourself.
Besmirch our journalists strive for accuracy but found a penalty area at chelsea got this.
Why do they go out of their way to try and besmirch somebody?
Madsen hold us before the city council and besmirch our very character.
The Name with expletives or other defiling expressions that besmirch its sanctity.
Their efforts to slander and besmirch the President are not over.