blemish

verb

blem·ish | \ ˈble-mish

blemished; blemishing; blemishes

Definition of blemish

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

: to spoil by a flaw

blemish

noun

Definition of blemish (Entry 2 of 2)

: a noticeable imperfection especially : one that seriously impairs appearance

Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about blemish

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Examples of blemish in a Sentence

Verb

A series of burn marks blemish the table's surface. The incident blemished his reputation.

Noun

The cream is supposed to prevent blemishes on the skin. The table had a few scratches and minor blemishes. The book fails to mention any of the organization's many blemishes. The incident was a blemish on his record.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

Our nation’s history is blemished by racial prejudice, anti-immigration and nativism. — WSJ, "Who Read What in 2018: Actors and Entertainers," 10 Dec. 2018 But his record, in the eyes of some in the Confederacy, was blemished, Quigley said, after Stuart fell out of touch with Confederate forces during the Battle of Gettysburg — the bloodiest and one of the most decisive Civil War battles. — Debbie Truong, Washington Post, "The Confederate commander behind one of the greatest ‘what ifs’ of the Civil War," 7 July 2018 Uniform bezels surround the touchscreen, blemished only by the 2MP front-facing camera at the top bezel and the Yoga Book logo on the bottom-right corner. — Valentina Palladino, Ars Technica, "Lenovo Yoga Book 2018 review: The keyless keyboard returns, now in E Ink," 2 Nov. 2018 The Super Tucano has a safety record previously blemished by only two crashes since entering operation in 2003. — Sean Gallagher, Ars Technica, "Air Force “light attack” test aircraft crashes on bomb range, killing pilot," 26 June 2018 This solace can come from someone else's unfiltered photo evidencing their blemished skin in its natural state, or from posting their own pictures and receiving uplifting messages of support and solidarity in the comments section. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "What the Skin-Acceptance Movement Means for People With Conditions Like Mine," 29 June 2018 Reds starter Sal Romano countered with eight innings, his evening blemished only by Hunter Dozier’s 425-foot solo home run in the fifth inning. — Sam Mcdowell, kansascity, "Royals waste Ian Kennedy's best outing of 2018 in loss to Reds," 12 June 2018 Don Christensen, a former Air Force chief prosecutor, told The Washington Post that even with no official punishment, the episode will likely permanently blemish their career. — Alex Horton, Washington Post, "The Pentagon answered some questions about the Niger ambush. Many more remain.," 11 May 2018 The 27-year-old nonprofit teams up with farms to collect blemished or oddly sized produce that can not be sold — and distributes the food to local communities. — Lauren Delgado, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Stamp Out Hunger during national food drive May 12," 8 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The one blemish came in the fourth, when Jeromy Burnitz singled home Jeff Cirillo, who had doubled leading off the inning. — Jr Radcliffe, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Freddy Peralta's outing calls to mind Steve Woodard's amazing performance in 1997; here's a look at that contest," 13 May 2018 The second-day swoon is the first blemish on an otherwise smooth initial public offering. — Corrie Driebusch, WSJ, "Lyft Shares Falter on Second Trading Day," 1 Apr. 2019 Mann started by using Urban Decay's All Nighter Concealer under her eyes and on any blemishes, followed by a light layer of the brand's All Nighter Liquid Foundation to even out her complexion. — Kaleigh Fasanella, Allure, "Maisie Williams Wore a Full Face of Urban Decay’s Game of Thrones Makeup Collection to the Season 8 Premiere," 4 Apr. 2019 Concealer Brush Use a small, synthetic brush to pinpoint specific areas that need extra coverage, like small spots and blemishes. — Brooke Shunatona, Cosmopolitan, "12 Makeup Brushes You Actually Need and Exactly How to Use Them," 8 Feb. 2018 In one idea, users scan their face with a mobile device and receive product recommendations based on an analysis of their skin, factoring in wrinkles and blemishes. — Sara Castellanos, WSJ, "Estée Lauder Revamps IT, Merging Beauty Business With Innovation," 20 Mar. 2019 Winter says the flatter the finish, the better—and the less likely your eye will pick those blemishes in the ceiling up. — Elizabeth Gulino, House Beautiful, "Everything You've Ever Needed to Know About Painting Your Ceilings," 15 Mar. 2019 The Rise of the League Only a few years ago, Mr. Salvini, the interior minister, seemed like an old blemish on Italy’s fresh new skin. — Jason Horowitz, New York Times, "This Italian Town Once Welcomed Migrants. Now, It’s a Symbol for Right-Wing Politics," 7 July 2018 First step, try to clear the blemishes on your own with a topical acne cream. — Macaela Mackenzie, Allure, "Ear Pimples Are Real — Here's How to Get Rid of Them," 19 Sep. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'blemish.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for blemish

Verb

Middle English blemisshen, to damage, injure, sully, from Anglo-French blemiss-, stem of blemir, blesmir, from Old French, literally, to make pale by wounding, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German blasros horse with a blaze, Old Norse blesi blaze — more at blaze

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