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
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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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of blemish
Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Ohtani didn’t give up a run in those 4 ⅓ innings, and the only other blemishes on the performance were a pair of walks and a hit batter.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
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 third period was electric and, after an early blemish, Swayman was plugged in.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
Ohtani didn’t give up a run in those 4 ⅓ innings, and the only other blemishes on the performance were a pair of walks and a hit batter.
—Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 19 Mar. 2026
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
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Higher rates of birth defects among Hispanic moms Nationwide, Hispanic women have the highest rates of having those defects during pregnancy.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
30 Mar. 2026
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A number of states are considering legislation requiring food makers to add folic acid to corn masa flour used to make tortillas in a bid to tackle child health defects.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Mexico's government has said that the official registry of disappeared is an overcount, often marred by faulty data from local prosecutor's offices and cases of people being reported missing two or three times.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Mar. 2026
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But his first year in Philly was marred by knee and adductor injuries that resulted in the forward having one of the worst years of his NBA career.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In a social media post on Monday morning, Kuwait said a service building at a power generation and water desalination plant were damaged in an attack Sunday evening, killing one worker.—
Anniek Bao,
CNBC,
30 Mar. 2026
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At least 12 residents have been displaced after a three-alarm fire heavily damaged five homes in Pittsburgh's Bloomfield neighborhood, according to Pittsburgh Public Safety.—
Garrett Behanna,
CBS News,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Early salt damage often appears as pale, chalky blotches or uneven fading in the paint finish.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
USA Today,
25 Mar. 2026
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Her zapping turns her entire head of hair — not just a streak — shocking white à la Jean Harlow, and leaves an oddly-appealing black blotch on her cheek.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Institutional investors, such as German pension funds, saw the company as ethically tainted, and its stock price lagged far behind that of defense firms from other parts of Europe.—
Simon Shuster,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
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Ohio has seen fewer deaths but more risky behavior lately as fentanyl supplies dry up and people turn to substitutes tainted by animal tranquilizers.—
Kaitlin Coward,
Boston Herald,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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That night, Kane was injured, and Carsley tried to pick the boldest, most talented team possible, with Jude Bellingham nominally up front, and Foden, Palmer, Gordon and Bukayo Saka in, too.—
Jack Pitt-Brooke,
New York Times,
1 Apr. 2026
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The conditions for the three people injured in the shooting wasn't immediately available.—
Siafa Lewis,
CBS News,
31 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Later, Bey worried her C-section scar might be infected.—
Laura Ungar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Mar. 2026
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The recent scars of Hezbollah's activities were all too visible.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The most popular American sport, long recession-proof, forever immune to greed’s side effects, is prepared to stain its legacy.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
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The fossils become smooth, rounded and mineral-stained from their time underwater, a process that also complicates efforts to date them precisely.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blemish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemish. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.
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