as in damaged
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1
as in marred
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 injured
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
a scratch blemished the finish on the car
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blemished
Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
Stripped of modern tools, MASK is messy, blemished, unfinished—and all the sweeter for it.
—Arielle Gordon, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Think bruised nectarines, tomatoes that split in transit and blemished apples that are more suited to baking and preserving.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Scarred and blemished grapefruits and blood oranges are falling off his trees, Schmidt told KSEE.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Its blemished surface hints at its violent origin deep within the Earth's mantle.
—Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2025
That’s because pantries like Friendly Hands often receive offers from truck drivers to unload pallets of food, like blemished fruit rejected from grocery stores, but without a loading dock, pantries sometimes have to refuse or are unable to store the items.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2025
Until the world contains only liberal democracies, Washington can hardly avoid seeking blemished friends.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Throop returned to his hometown in 1990 to take stock of its blemished environment.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Reputational damage occurs when a business’s name is blemished in some manner.
—Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Should fungal leaf spots become a major problem — and cause lots of leaves to become blemished, turn yellow and drop prematurely — a control would be needed.
—Tom MacCubbin, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 May 2026
Stripped of modern tools, MASK is messy, blemished, unfinished—and all the sweeter for it.
—Arielle Gordon, Pitchfork, 22 May 2026
Think bruised nectarines, tomatoes that split in transit and blemished apples that are more suited to baking and preserving.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2026
Scarred and blemished grapefruits and blood oranges are falling off his trees, Schmidt told KSEE.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Its blemished surface hints at its violent origin deep within the Earth's mantle.
—Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2025
That’s because pantries like Friendly Hands often receive offers from truck drivers to unload pallets of food, like blemished fruit rejected from grocery stores, but without a loading dock, pantries sometimes have to refuse or are unable to store the items.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2025
Until the world contains only liberal democracies, Washington can hardly avoid seeking blemished friends.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Throop returned to his hometown in 1990 to take stock of its blemished environment.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
Verb
Shawnee’s local government, including the City Council, has been blemished by controversy for more than a decade.
—Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Reputational damage occurs when a business’s name is blemished in some manner.
—Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blemished
Adjective
-
Russian drone strikes overnight also injured civilians and damaged buildings and businesses in the Kharkiv, Odesa and Chernihiv regions, regional authorities said.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
8 June 2026
-
But over time, the cutting edges on a drill bit will wear down, causing materials start to splinter, leading to chipped wood or damaged walls.—
Timothy Dale,
The Spruce,
5 June 2026
Verb
-
Downtown Lee’s Summit Main Street announced Tuesday that the 2026 Downtown Days festival will be its last, citing safety concerns after fights, assaults and property damage marred Saturday evening’s event.—
Ian Cummings,
Kansas City Star,
11 June 2026
-
The March 22 election was marred by allegations of foreign influence and corruption.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 June 2026
Verb
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Two buildings at the Animal Protective League shelter in Springfield were heavily damaged, but none of the nearly 150 cats and 28 dogs housed there were injured, said Deana Corbin, the group's executive director.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Ohtani was one of two members of the Dodgers starting rotation who left the game injured.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Lemieux left Draper with a fractured jaw, broken cheekbone and a broken nose.—
Dan Robson,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
The formula has almond, macadamia, and olive oils to moisturize, plus hydrolyzed keratin to support broken strands.—
Ariel Wodarcyk,
Glamour,
29 May 2026
Verb
-
Some members of her party have pushed Sheinbaum to sever ties with Rocha Moya and other leaders suspected of links to organized crime, lest Morena be tainted by the allegations.—
Kate Linthicum,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
-
His association with the Nazi regime, which some believe occurred only because he was pressured to play to secure the release of his mother from Auschwitz, forever tainted Wilimowski.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The protest largely crippled the country’s center, with highways closed and public transportation halted by the massive crowds in both Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv metro area.—
Melanie Lidman,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
Every team has injuries, but the Packers’ laundry list crippled a team that, when largely healthy, was a legitimate Super Bowl contender.—
Matt Schneidman,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Adjective
-
Cleaning up bird seed, spoiled fruit, and other easy sources of food is the best way to reduce rodent problems and deter the ticks that use rodents as hosts.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 June 2026
-
Taken together, the blank or spoiled ballots would have comfortably won the April vote, and the blank votes alone would have beaten thirty-four of the thirty-five candidates.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
Not every paramilitary fighter is stained by the corruption of the Shia elite or implicated in spilling innocent blood in recent years.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
-
Nobody can resist a saucy, savory sloppy joe, but you're bound to leave a sloppy joe meal with at least one article of clothing stained.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
22 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blemished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemished. Accessed 12 Jun. 2026.
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