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

Ketchup can remove light tarnish and brighten up old silver, as well as brass and copper. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025

Exhausting and dark, the second half of this once-excellent adaptation may tarnish Chu’s legacy among fans, critics, and Academy voters. —Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 25 Nov. 2025

Noun

If the ketchup contains sulfites, using it may actually make the tarnish worse. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025

The brand also offers a silver cream and liquid polish that removes tarnish and restores shine to flatware, trays, and other decorative pieces. —Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 16 Sep. 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)