Defile vs. Sully — What's the Difference?
By Maham Liaqat & Fiza Rafique — Updated on May 8, 2024
Defile typically refers to physical desecration or pollution, especially of something sacred, whereas sully often implies tarnishing someone's reputation or purity through immoral actions.
Difference Between Defile and Sully
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Defile involves contaminating or corrupting something, often with a focus on physical or sacred purity, whereas sully generally refers to damaging someone’s reputation or moral standing through unethical acts.
In religious or historical contexts, defile is used to describe the act of desecrating a holy place or revered object, while sully is more likely used when discussing actions that besmirch personal honor or the integrity of a concept.
Environmental discourse often uses defile to talk about serious harm to landscapes or ecosystems through pollution or development, whereas sully isn't typically used in this context, focusing instead on abstract or character-related degradation.
The impact of defile is sometimes considered irreversible, especially when it pertains to sacred sites or artifacts, whereas the effects of sullying can sometimes be mitigated or resolved through restitution or rehabilitation.
The usage of defile can invoke a stronger, more visceral reaction due to its connotations of physical violation, whereas sully might evoke a sense of disappointment or disapproval due to moral failings.
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Comparison Chart
Primary Usage
Physical desecration
Reputation tarnishing
Contexts
Religious, environmental
Moral, personal
Connotations
Often irreversible harm
Can often be mitigated
Emotional Impact
Visceral, due to violation
Disappointment, due to ethical failings
Typical Objects Affected
Sacred places, nature
Personal honor, integrity of concepts
Compare with Definitions
Defile
To make foul, dirty, or unclean.
The spilled chemicals defiled the river.
Sully
To stain morally or physically.
The regime was sullied by human rights abuses.
Defile
To desecrate or profane something sacred.
Vandals defiled the ancient tomb with graffiti.
Sully
To defile morally.
The corrupt officials sullied the ideals of democracy.
Defile
To violate the chastity of.
The tragic tale involves a noblewoman who was defiled by an invader.
Sully
To mar the purity or cleanliness of.
The scandal sullied the politician's public image.
Defile
To tarnish or spoil.
The pristine wilderness was defiled by unchecked mining activities.
Sully
To make soiled or dirty.
His remarks sullied the festive atmosphere of the evening.
Defile
To corrupt the purity or perfection of something.
The doctrine was defiled by opportunistic interpretations.
Sully
To tarnish someone’s reputation.
The false accusations sullied her standing in the community.
Defile
To make filthy or dirty; pollute
Defile a river with sewage.
Sully
To mar the cleanness or luster of; soil or stain.
Defile
To debase the pureness or excellence of; corrupt
A country landscape that was defiled by urban sprawl.
Sully
To defile; taint
Sully a reputation.
Defile
To profane or sully (a reputation, for example).
Sully
Something that stains or spots.
Defile
To make unclean or unfit for ceremonial use; desecrate
Defile a temple.
Sully
(transitive) To soil or stain; to dirty.
He did not wish to sully his hands with gardening.
Defile
To move in single file or in files or columns
The soldiers defiled from the fort, arms raised in surrender.
Sully
(transitive) To corrupt or damage.
She tried to sully her rival’s reputation with a suggestive comment.
Defile
A narrow gorge or pass that restricts lateral movement, as of troops.
Sully
To become soiled or tarnished.
Defile
A march in a line.
Sully
A blemish.
Defile
(transitive)
Sully
To soil; to dirty; to spot; to tarnish; to stain; to darken; - used literally and figuratively; as, to sully a sword; to sully a person's reputation.
Statues sullied yet with sacrilegious smoke.
No spots to sully the brightness of this solemnity.
Defile
To make (someone or something) physically dirty or unclean; to befoul, to soil.
Sully
To become soiled or tarnished.
Silvering will sully and canker more than gilding.
Defile
To make (someone or something) morally impure or unclean; to corrupt, to tarnish.
Sully
Soil; tarnish; stain.
A noble and triumphant merit breaks through little spots and sullies in his reputation.
Defile
To act inappropriately towards or vandalize (something sacred or special); to desecrate, to profane.
To urinate on someone’s grave is an example of a way to defile it.
Sully
United States painter (born in England) of portraits and historical scenes (1783-1872)
Defile
(religion) To cause (something or someone) to become ritually unclean.
Sully
French statesman (1560-1641)
Defile
(obsolete)
Sully
Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon;
Sully someone's reputation
Defile
To become dirty or unclean.
Sully
Make 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
Defile
To cause uncleanliness; specifically, to pass feces; to defecate.
Sully
Charge 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
Defile
To march in a single file or line; to file.
Defile
To march across (a place) in files or lines.
Defile
Synonym of defilade
Defile
A narrow passage or way (originally (military), one which soldiers could only march through in a single file or line), especially a narrow gorge or pass between mountains.
Defile
(military)
Defile
An act of marching in files or lines.
Defile
A single file of soldiers; (by extension) any single file.
Defile
An act of defilading a fortress or other place, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior.
Defile
To march off in a line, file by file; to file off.
Defile
Same as Defilade.
Defile
To make foul or impure; to make filthy; to dirty; to befoul; to pollute.
They that touch pitch will be defiled.
Defile
To soil or sully; to tarnish, as reputation; to taint.
He is . . . among the greatest prelates of this age, however his character may be defiled by . . . dirty hands.
Defile
To injure in purity of character; to corrupt.
Defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt.
Defile
To corrupt the chastity of; to debauch; to violate; to rape.
The husband murder'd and the wife defiled.
Defile
To make ceremonially unclean; to pollute.
That which dieth of itself, or is torn with beasts, he shall not eat to defile therewith.
Defile
Any narrow passage or gorge in which troops can march only in a file, or with a narrow front; a long, narrow pass between hills, rocks, etc.
Defile
The act of defilading a fortress, or of raising the exterior works in order to protect the interior. See Defilade.
Defile
A narrow pass (especially one between mountains)
Defile
Place under suspicion or cast doubt upon;
Sully someone's reputation
Defile
Make 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
Defile
Spot, stain, or pollute;
The townspeople defiled the river by emptying raw sewage into it
Common Curiosities
What does it mean to defile something?
To defile something means to corrupt, damage, or desecrate it, particularly in a physical or sacred manner.
How do the consequences of defiling differ from sullying?
The consequences of defiling are often seen as more permanent and physically damaging, whereas sullying primarily affects reputation and can sometimes be resolved or forgiven.
Is sully used in environmental contexts?
Sully is typically not used in environmental contexts; it is more focused on moral or reputational aspects.
What does it mean to sully someone’s reputation?
To sully someone’s reputation means to damage their standing or honor through immoral or unethical behavior.
What are common synonyms for sully?
Common synonyms for sully include tarnish, besmirch, stain, and taint, typically in reference to reputation or moral purity.
Are there legal implications for defiling or sullying?
Legal implications may arise particularly in cases of defamation or when there's direct damage to property (defiling) or reputational harm (sullying) based on falsehoods or malicious intent.
Can actions be both defiling and sullying simultaneously?
Yes, certain actions can be both defiling and sullying, especially when they involve both physical desecration and moral corruption, such as in cases of sacred site vandalism involving unethical motives.
What are common synonyms for defile?
Common synonyms for defile include pollute, desecrate, corrupt, and tarnish when referring to physical objects or sacred contexts.
How do cultural differences impact the understanding of defile vs. sully?
Cultural differences can significantly affect how actions considered defiling or sullying are viewed, with some cultures placing more emphasis on physical sanctity and others on moral or reputational aspects.
Can a person’s character be defiled?
Yes, a person’s character can be defiled if they are subjected to corruption or moral tarnish.
Can landscapes or inanimate objects be sullied?
While landscapes and inanimate objects can technically be sullied, the term is more commonly applied to situations involving personal or collective moral degradation rather than physical contamination.
Is defiling always an intentional act?
Defiling can be both intentional and unintentional, but it generally involves an action that leads to significant corruption or desecration, often with awareness of the action's consequences.
Can the media defile or sully a person’s image?
The media can both defile and sully a person’s image; defile by spreading false information that leads to public desecration, and sully by casting doubt on a person’s character or actions.
What role does intent play in defiling vs. sullying?
Intent plays a critical role; defiling often requires a deliberate intent to corrupt or ruin, while sullying can occur through careless actions that lead to reputational damage.
How can individuals or communities recover from being defiled or sullied?
Recovery from being defiled might require physical restoration and purification rites, whereas recovery from being sullied may involve corrective actions, public apologies, and rebuilding trust or reputation.
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Written by
Maham Liaqat
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
