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
as in to damage
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of blight
Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
The Potato Famine occurred because of light blight, a destructive disease targeting the edible roots and leaves.
—Bella Monaco, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
A Martínez, NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
Another way to avoid it is to select apple tree varieties that are naturally resistant to blight and other common diseases.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blight
Noun
More recently, a project to construct community hubs for each of Harvey’s six wards has been in limbo, with residents complaining about the blight created by the unfinished construction sites at the most recent City Council meeting.
—Evy Lewis, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2026
The Potato Famine occurred because of light blight, a destructive disease targeting the edible roots and leaves.
—Bella Monaco, Dallas Morning News, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
Meanwhile, Lebanon – the next stop for the pope after Turkey – has also been blighted by war between Israel and the Lebanese militia Hezbollah.
—A Martínez, NPR, 27 Nov. 2025
Another way to avoid it is to select apple tree varieties that are naturally resistant to blight and other common diseases.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for blight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blight
Noun
-
Ford estimates that all of these vehicles have the defects.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
My companion must be of the same species, and have the same defects.—
Rory Doherty,
Time,
7 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Bahrain and Qatar have effectively halted production of oil and LNG, keeping output at a trickle to avoid complete shutdowns that could damage reservoirs and delay restarts.—
Amena Bakr,
semafor.com,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Driving through deep water can also damage a vehicle's mechanical and electrical systems.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Its purple black center was surrounded by blotches of varying shades and textures, raised or sunken at places.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
People suffer and the country becomes ruined.—
Marc Weingarten,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Anti-Chafe Stick With sweaty bodies and lots of walking often comes chafing, something that can ruin a day in a theme park faster than a thunderstorm.—
Terri Peters,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Nicholas fully recovered and is about to turn 18, his father said, but still has physical scars.—
Sandra McDonald,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Mar. 2026
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Also, our editors rounded up the most effective over-the-counter products for fading scars.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Designating the company a supply chain risk cuts off Anthropic's defense work using an authority that was designed to prevent foreign adversaries from harming national security systems.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
10 Mar. 2026
-
No human journalist was harmed in this experiment.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
10 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
María was among the locals sweeping up the ashes and trying to scrub burn marks from the streets and buildings when The Times visited Etzatlán in the days after El Mencho’s death.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Mar. 2026
-
The only player to reach the 1,000-point mark at a faster pace was LeBron James (19 years, 41 days).—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
That investigation also showed how an innocent man landed in jail for a year after prosecutors cited flawed ShotSpotter evidence.—
Josh Wood,
Louisville Courier Journal,
2 Mar. 2026
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Residents challenged the decision, arguing that the city’s environmental process was flawed and failed to incorporate stricter monitor requirements like those required in Santa Clara.—
Devan Patel,
Mercury News,
25 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blight. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
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