tarnish

tarnish

verb

Definition of TARNISH

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable <an arrest for shoplifting tarnished her reputation for many years afterwards>

Synonyms blemish, darken, mar, poison, spoil, stain, tarnish, touch, vitiate

Related Words begrime, besmear, besmirch, blacken, blur, cloud, dirty, discolor, pollute, smear, smirch, smudge, smut, soil, sully, tar; abase, cheapen, debase, degrade, demean, discredit, disgrace, dishonor, foul, lower, shame, sink; bastardize, corrupt, debauch, demoralize, deprave, pervert, subvert; color, distort, twist

Near Antonyms cleanse, purify; dignify, elevate, ennoble, enshrine, glorify, hallow, magnify, uplift