tarnish

1 of 2

verb

tar·​nish ˈtär-nish 

tarnished; tarnishing; tarnishes

transitive verb

1

: to dull or destroy the luster of by or as if by air, dust, or dirt : soil, stain

2

a

: to detract from the good quality of : vitiate

his fine dreams now slightly tarnished

b

: to bring disgrace on : sully

the scandal has tarnished his reputation

intransitive verb

: to become tarnished

tarnishable

ˈtär-ni-shə-bəl 

adjective

tarnish

2 of 2

noun

: something that tarnishes

especially : a film of chemically altered material on the surface of a metal (such as silver)

Synonyms of tarnish

Verb

• taint
• mar
• spoil
• stain
• poison
• darken

Examples of tarnish in a Sentence

Verb

Some foods will tarnish silver.

The scandal tarnished his reputation.

Noun

a polish that removes tarnish

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Deborah doesn’t want sickness to tarnish her legacy. —Judy Berman, Time, 29 May 2026

The problem with Canepa using that case to tarnish Church’s and Irizarry’s legacies is that Genentech’s litigation stems from assessments made in the early 2000s, several years before either of the men ever worked in the office. —Mercury News Editorial Board, Mercury News, 29 May 2026

Noun

There, the aluminum is meant to react with hot water and detergent to transfer any tarnish found on the silverware to the aluminum foil. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 21 May 2026

This technique works if the metals are just a bit grimy, but wood ash can also be used to remove tarnish and rust, too. —Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ternysshen, from Middle French terniss-, stem of ternir, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German tarnan to hide

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1684, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tarnish

• anti-tarnish

Rhymes for tarnish

• garnish
• varnish

Kids Definition

tarnish

1 of 2 verb

tar·​nish ˈtär-nish 

1

: to make or become dull, dim, or discolored

silver tarnishes

2

: to bring disgrace or cast doubt on

tarnished the family's good name

tarnish

2 of 2 noun

: something that tarnishes

especially : a film of chemically changed material on the surface of a metal (as silver)