as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
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Recent Examples of tarnish
The president has already claimed victory and will not want the deal’s failure to tarnish his image as a peacemaker.
—
Dennis Ross, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2025
This lack of transparency has jeopardized the integrity of the NTSB investigation and tarnished the reputation of city employees who are entitled to due process and presumption of innocence.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
But that luster has tarnished, as the company has struggled to keep up with shifts in consumer and societal demands.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan. 2025
The new league could add more costs for the NBA and its owners but also tarnish its brand or create friction for European fans of existing teams who do not join the NBA’s league or feel slighted by it.
—Mike Vorkunov, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Dennis Ross, Foreign Affairs, 3 Feb. 2025
This lack of transparency has jeopardized the integrity of the NTSB investigation and tarnished the reputation of city employees who are entitled to due process and presumption of innocence.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2025
But that luster has tarnished, as the company has struggled to keep up with shifts in consumer and societal demands.
—Lenora Chu, The Christian Science Monitor, 27 Jan. 2025
The new league could add more costs for the NBA and its owners but also tarnish its brand or create friction for European fans of existing teams who do not join the NBA’s league or feel slighted by it.
—Mike Vorkunov, The Athletic, 24 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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With Marxism tainted by its aggressive materialism, and mere democratic socialism so mere, anarchism could be imagined as a series of defiant spiritual acts.—
Adam Gopnik,
The New Yorker,
24 Feb. 2025
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Bove asserted that the case needs to be set aside for now for two reasons: It was tainted by politics and the prosecution interferes with Adams’ ability to be mayor.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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His final season was marred by a shoulder injury and insufficient QB play, but Loveland still led the Wolverines in receptions (56), receiving yards (582) and receiving TDs (five).—
Eddie Brown,
The Mercury News,
27 Feb. 2025
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The election took place seven months earlier than originally planned after Scholz’s unpopular coalition collapsed in November, three years into a term that was increasingly marred by infighting.—
Vanessa Gera,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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Basically, color bleeding is when the dye of clothes seeps into the water during a wash cycles and stains other clothes in the load.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
25 Feb. 2025
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Headless mannequins wearing the shirts of Marlon, William and Matheus Pereira — stained in red to resemble blood — were hung days after Cruzeiro’s penalty defeat to America MG in the Campeonato Mineiro semi-finals.—
Colin Millar,
The Athletic,
25 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Sergio Pino’s attorney Deanna Shifrin denied the poisoning allegations, pointing to comments Tatiana made in a December 2023 deposition stating that no healthcare provider had concluded she had been poisoned.—
Douglas Hanks,
Miami Herald,
27 Feb. 2025
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Today sends a message to every cartel leader, every trafficker, every criminal poisoning our communities: You will be held accountable.—
Polo Sandoval,
CNN,
27 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Besides blackout curtains, the brand also offers soundproof, room darkening, light filtering, and thermal options.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
28 Feb. 2025
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But they are being pursued against a darkening backdrop of fear and possible intimidation.—
Mattathias Schwartz,
New York Times,
5 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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