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
These are the kind of pearl-clutching specifics that can derail press tours for ventures like Victoria’s eponymous fashion brand, as well as tarnish a complicated Beckham legacy that seemingly settled with the family enshrined in a bubble of adoration and protection.
—
Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The notion of reputational damage is alien to someone whose image was long ago tarnished beyond repair by grifting, lying, bullying, and double-dealing.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
The ideas of Chávez, a charismatic figure who inspired a generation of Latin American leftists, have been irrevocably tarnished, Krauze said.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Jack Dunn, Variety, 19 Jan. 2026
The notion of reputational damage is alien to someone whose image was long ago tarnished beyond repair by grifting, lying, bullying, and double-dealing.
—Eliot A. Cohen, The Atlantic, 19 Jan. 2026
The ideas of Chávez, a charismatic figure who inspired a generation of Latin American leftists, have been irrevocably tarnished, Krauze said.
—Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 19 Jan. 2026
Metal can tarnish or degrade when exposed to humidity, and many materials degrade when exposed to cardboard that isn't acid-free.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 2 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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The fact that Katherine had been institutionalized may have tainted her scholarly reputation.—
Margaret Talbot,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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Both the original news reporting and police investigation would be tainted by these sexist views.—
Nathan Smith,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Tempers flared during a recent pair of NBA games, and both contests were marred by tense clashes between players.—
Chantz Martin,
FOXNews.com,
31 Jan. 2026
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To bring cameras into the equation might mar the authenticity of this pursuit.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
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And his two Super Bowls were against the New England Patriots, taking down Belichick and Tom Brady to spoil their perfect 2007 season and the 2011 campaign.—
Scott Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points, Jaylon Tyson had 20 and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a big third quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 129-99 and spoil LeBron James' return to Northeast Ohio.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Wearing kitchen gloves to keep your hands from staining, knead 7 oz.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
27 Jan. 2026
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In testing on human teeth that were artificially stained with tea and coffee, the researchers found that a total of four hours of brushing showed visible whitening, while 12 total hours of brushing led to teeth that were nearly 50% whiter than those in a control group.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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To an extent Amorim was handed a chalice which has felt forever poisoned.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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Each bloom produces exponentially growing waves of cyanotoxins that can poison and even kill nearby aquatic organisms.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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My fear is that the murder of a poet on the streets of Minneapolis will encourage you to darken.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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While only a handful of the Pleiades' brightest stars are visible from city centres, more of the cluster's 1,000-strong population become visible as skies darken.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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