as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the first mirror had a blemish on its surface, so we took it back to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a single indiscretion blemished the rabbi's reputation for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
a scratch blemished the finish on the car
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of blemish
Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Defense camouflaging more blemishes than Revlon.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Amorim cupped his hand round the back of Casemiro’s neck as the midfielder’s eyes focused down on the turf, a man possibly contemplating how his perfect record in five Champions League finals had become blemished with a loss in the equivalent in Europe’s second-tier competition.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for blemish
Noun
The Tigers allowed the Ragin’ Cajuns’ Zylan Perry to break through the gaps for an 84-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, but that was pretty much the only blemish of the day for MU.
—Maddie Hartley, Kansas City Star, 14 Sep. 2025
Defense camouflaging more blemishes than Revlon.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
Verb
Reputational damage occurs when a business’s name is blemished in some manner.
—Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Amorim cupped his hand round the back of Casemiro’s neck as the midfielder’s eyes focused down on the turf, a man possibly contemplating how his perfect record in five Champions League finals had become blemished with a loss in the equivalent in Europe’s second-tier competition.
—Laurie Whitwell, New York Times, 22 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for blemish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blemish
Noun
-
Ryleigh, or Ry as she is often called, has dealt with a congenital heart defect since birth.—
Rick Mauch,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Sep. 2025
-
In aged cheeses, sometimes pink coloring can be caused by a microbial defect.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Sandu’s reelection came amidst an election that was laced with allegations of Russian interference and was marred by fake bomb threats.—
Rajeev Tyagi,
ABC News,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Unfortunately for the Giants, this win was marred by a devastating injury for superstar second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers.—
Matt Audilet,
MSNBC Newsweek,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
According to Greenpeace's analysis, Russia has also completed construction of a new water supply system for the plant's cooling pond and deliberately damaged a 750-kilovolt power line that had connected the facility to Ukraine's electrical grid.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Sep. 2025
-
Residential buildings and civilian infrastructure were damaged in the Solomianskyi, Sviatoshynskyi, Holosiivskyi, Darnytskyi, and Dniprovskyi districts.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This fungal disease appears as gray blotches on the bark, eventually developing into sunken cankers.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
1 Oct. 2025
-
The belly is tan or gray with dark blotches.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
-
King Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, has been tainted by his own friendship with Epstein.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Police in England said one of the two Jewish community members killed and one of the victims injured during an attack at a synagogue on Yom Kippur are now believed to have been struck by police gunfire as officers tried to stop the attacker.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
3 Oct. 2025
-
The kids associate helicopters with life flights to the local hospital, a sign that someone has been seriously injured, Cornelison said.—
John Wisely,
Freep.com,
3 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The scars are beautiful and almost aerodynamic.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Slow-moving thunderstorms frequently unleash catastrophic downpours over the South Fork burn scar, a region still reeling from two fires that scorched over 15,000 acres and destroyed 1,400 structures.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
It’s made with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E, and it can even be paired with your favorite lip balm or gloss — without staining the applicator — for an extra boost of moisture.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
26 Sep. 2025
-
In his third season in Boulder, coach Deion Sanders continues to lament an issue that ruined his first season and stained his second.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
26 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blemish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemish. Accessed 3 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share