as in defects
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 stains
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 damages
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
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Recent Examples of blemishes
Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Dark or too strong nail polishes can sometimes highlight blemishes, veins, or expression lines.
—Andrea Carbajal, Glamour, 31 Mar. 2026
Rocker still has considerable upside despite those blemishes, and with only 159 2/3 total professional innings under his belt, the 26-year-old is far from a finished product.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
On earlier test loops around Portugal, some tarmac blemishes were noted.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2026
One of the few big blemishes on Adebayo’s All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year resumes is the Heat’s record, with a panel of media members voting for these awards.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 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
The Chapek chapter and previous succession about-faces that saw presumed heirs-apparent like Tom Staggs leave the company were blemishes on Iger’s otherwise strong record.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
But these are minor blemishes in a production whose visual richness focuses attention on the music rather than nudge it off to the side.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
All of those blemishes became moot, however, when Coyle scored his 20th goal of the season, a power-play tap-in off a tremendous feed from Marchenko.
—Aaron Portzline, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2026
Dark or too strong nail polishes can sometimes highlight blemishes, veins, or expression lines.
—Andrea Carbajal, Glamour, 31 Mar. 2026
Rocker still has considerable upside despite those blemishes, and with only 159 2/3 total professional innings under his belt, the 26-year-old is far from a finished product.
—Shawn McFarland, Dallas Morning News, 24 Mar. 2026
On earlier test loops around Portugal, some tarmac blemishes were noted.
—Sean Evans, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2026
One of the few big blemishes on Adebayo’s All-NBA and Defensive Player of the Year resumes is the Heat’s record, with a panel of media members voting for these awards.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 23 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
The Chapek chapter and previous succession about-faces that saw presumed heirs-apparent like Tom Staggs leave the company were blemishes on Iger’s otherwise strong record.
—Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 Mar. 2026
But these are minor blemishes in a production whose visual richness focuses attention on the music rather than nudge it off to the side.
—Justin Davidson, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blemishes
Noun
-
Thermal runaway can be triggered by a variety of conditions, including battery damage, overheating, overcharging, manufacturing defects, exposure to salt water, and external fires.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 Apr. 2026
-
The company continues to battle new production glitches, including wiring defects on undelivered jets.—
John Pacenti,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
-
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
For example, an extreme weather event that damages infrastructure could impact a critical supply chain node, which has a derivative impact on economic growth and credit.—
Rob Fauber,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
-
New research suggests that skipping the pillow could help prevent the development of glaucoma, an eye disease that damages the optic nerve and can cause vision loss or blindness.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Even just a little rain on burn scars can quickly lead to flash floods and debris flows, Schumacher said.—
Lauren Penington,
Denver Post,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The sarcasm taints the question but doesn’t invalidate it.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
-
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
Verb
-
No sadness mars the purity of its paranoia.—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
22 Mar. 2026
-
However, an earnestness mars most of the proceedings.—
Murtada Elfadl,
Variety,
20 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Pushing too much hostility between team members or pushing Anthony too hard to be the peacekeeper could easily create an ugly atmosphere that spoils the vibe.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
-
Frozen fruit keeps it affordable year-round and nothing spoils mid-week.—
Allison Palmer,
Kansas City Star,
10 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blemishes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemishes. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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