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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blemish
Staff Writter, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
Dark or too strong nail polishes can sometimes highlight blemishes, veins, or expression lines.
—Andrea Carbajal, Glamour, 31 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
In fact, this season, the last time the team faced a deficit was against Frisco Wakeland, the only blemish on its 26-1-1 record.
—Staff Writter, Dallas Morning News, 8 Apr. 2026
Dark or too strong nail polishes can sometimes highlight blemishes, veins, or expression lines.
—Andrea Carbajal, Glamour, 31 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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Investigators later traced that leak to a factory defect in the pipe.—
Lexi Salazar,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The defect allows the optical readout of an electron spin, which in turn is sensitive to changes in magnetic fields or temperature.—
Ameya Paleja,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But her career has been marred by high-profile incidents — including being photographed in 2007 with a freshly shaven head hitting a car with an umbrella.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
13 Apr. 2026
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Sunday’s vote was marred by delays in distributing electoral materials in several districts of Lima, forcing authorities to extend voting into Monday.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Washington’s version of McCall is disciplined but damaged, and possibly afflicted with something like obsessive-compulsive disorder.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
20 Apr. 2026
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In fact, Gerrod Moore, a brand manager of Maytag advises against uninformed stainless steel cleaning experimentation, because some kitchen cleaning go-to's like bleach, glass cleaner, abrasive cleaners, and steel wool may damage the metal.—
Hallie Milstein,
Southern Living,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
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The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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There, Quenneville’s triumphs were later tainted by an organizational scandal that left him barred by the league for several seasons prior to joining the Ducks.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
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Now, streaming is tainting the postseason.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The shootings took place at multiple locations early Sunday morning, leaving eight children dead, two adult women wounded -- the mothers of his children -- and another woman and child injured.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 Apr. 2026
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Police said that the child who was attacked was injured and was taken to UPMC Children's Hospital for treatment.—
Mike Darnay,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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James said nothing changes in his preparation from the regular season to the postseason, even when a looming battle against Rockets star Kevin Durant might reopen old playoff scars on Saturday night.—
Benjamin Royer,
Oc Register,
17 Apr. 2026
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Pasco was described as a white man with a prominent scar on the right side of his face.—
Cristóbal Reyes,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Additional surveillance footage showed Marcelin in his building's laundry room cleaning a kitchen mat that appears stained with blood, according to prosecutors.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blemish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemish. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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