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

The ensuing political turmoil and power vacuum in the country tarnished its international image and rattled its diplomacy and financial markets. —CNN Money, 22 Jan. 2026

That did not tarnish in the least what took place in Sean Lewis’ second season in San Diego after his initial year leading the program resulted in only three wins and five of the nine losses by at least 21 points. —Tom Layberger, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026

Noun

Apply it to silver flatware, jewelry, or serving pieces, and use a soft cloth to rub away the tarnish. —Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 Dec. 2025

And, silver bars that remain sealed in their original packaging generally fetch higher prices than those showing tarnish or handling marks. —Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 26 Dec. 2025

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)