blight 1 of 2

noun

ˈblīt How to pronounce blight (audio)
Definition of blightnext
as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing the expanding urban sprawl is a blight on the countryside

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

blight

2 of 2

verb

as in to damage

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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 blight
Noun
Artists arrive What investors saw as blight, struggling artists saw as opportunity. — Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 The Apple Hill Growers collaborative got its start with 16 member farms in 1964, after a blight wiped out what had been a thriving pear-growing region. — Janet Fullwood, Mercury News, 28 Sep. 2026
Verb
Meanwhile, two- to four-unit rental buildings that made up the preponderance of affordable housing for families in these areas have been lost to blight and disinvestment. — Jeffrey Steele, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 The euphoria of scoring three goals in each half was somewhat blighted by the horrific injury to Koné. — Mark Hodge, NBC news, 19 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for blight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blight
  1. defect
  2. damage
  3. blotch
  4. ruin
  5. scar
  6. harm
  7. mark
  8. flaw
Noun
  • Amid these safety concerns, GE analyzed recent engine defects on the Boeing 787 and determined that thermal fatigue, driven by stress concentrations near cooling holes, is causing low-cycle blade deterioration.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The building already has materials, dimensions, defects, histories, neighbors, owners, previous uses, and established patterns of maintenance or neglect.
    — Julian Rose, Artforum, 1 Nov. 2026
Definition of defect
Verb
  • Rodents are also more likely to damage trees that are heavily mulched right up to their trunks.
    — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 6 Nov. 2026
  • If El Niño brings storms that damage the road again, history suggests Caltrans will fix it, seemingly stuck in an endless loop of patchwork repairs for one of California’s most challenging mountain highways to maintain.
    — Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 5 Nov. 2026
Definition of damage
Noun
  • Doctors detected abnormal breath sounds, and a scan revealed a round blotch in his right lung—a sign of blood, pus, fluid or tissue—but tests for common pathogens came back negative.
    — Rachel Melegrito, Scientific American, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of blotch
Verb
  • Someone else even complained about the self-clean feature ruining their appliance.
    — Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Nov. 2026
  • Unless someone caught the problem in time, the heat ruined the food before anyone had a chance to salvage it.
    — Peter Hall, Scientific American, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • Paul is known for two thin lines on his chest with a scar on his left ear and won the award for pickiest bear in 2024.
    — Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Kherson bears deep scars of war, with plywood covering windows and shattered glass everywhere.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of scar
Verb
  • The margin was so wide that issues that afflicted Republicans’ electoral chances elsewhere in the country, including high gas prices and the Iran war, didn’t substantially harm Tuberville.
    — Brady Knox, The Washington Examiner, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Roy has promised to take her experience from a years-long legal battle with Meta to aggressively pursue litigation against corporations and landlords for alleged misconduct that harms the average Angeleno.
    — Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of harm
Noun
  • Hamilton win historic in Kansas Tuesday’s election marks an extraordinary reckoning for Kansas, a state that just elected its first Democratic senator since 1932.
    — Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Bottoms' win marks the first time Georgia has elected a Democratic governor in more than 20 years, breaking the Republican hold on state government in Georgia.
    — Sarah Kallis, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of mark
Verb
  • Griffin suggested the plan to reindustrialize the nation to restore the American dream was flawed from the outset.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In our view, it was rushed and flawed, without an adequate evaluation framework to judge proposals fairly or fully measure their value to tourism.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Oct. 2026
Definition of flaw

Browse Nearby Words

blew up
blight
blighted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blight. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blight

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