What is the meaning of sullied?

verb

• Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon.
  • usage: "sully someone's reputation"
  • synonyms: defile, sully, corrupt, taint, cloud
• Make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically.
  • usage: "The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air"; "Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man"
  • synonyms: tarnish, stain, maculate, sully, defile
• Charge falsely or with malicious intent; attack the good name and reputation of someone.
  • usage: "The journalists have defamed me" "The article in the paper sullied my reputation"
  • synonyms: defame, slander, smirch, asperse, denigrate, calumniate, smear, sully, besmirch