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

Relevance

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
The blight of slavery, an evil that had endured on American soil for nearly 250 years, was finally extinguished. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 16 June 2026 While many saw blight at the corner of Colorado Boulevard and Holbrook Street, a local artist saw opportunity. — Ryan Steven Green, Los Angeles Times, 29 June 2026
Verb
Lough Neagh in Northern Ireland, the UK’s largest freshwater lake, has also been blighted by blue-green algae for years. — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 18 June 2026 Young people are graduating into an increasingly competitive job market and are struggling to secure roles as AI blights the job of entry-level workers. — Sawdah Bhaimiya, CNBC, 20 May 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
  • Creating a quantum sensor out of a defect One of the biggest challenges in industrial energy management is visibility.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 4 July 2026
  • The lawsuit said this defect helped cause Avila's death and the harm the family suffered.
    — Paloma Chavez, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of defect
Verb
  • Some of these storms could be severe and deliver damaging wind gusts, but any thunderstorm will contain lightning — a major danger for any outdoor activities, especially for anyone trying to escape the heat in or on the water.
    — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 4 July 2026
  • Diseases that damage the kidneys and impair their ability to filter blood were blamed for 55,081 deaths in 2024.
    — Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
Definition of damage
Noun
  • Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026
  • Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Definition of blotch
Verb
  • Instead of fighting with Whitney, Lindsay has a talk with Yvonne about how Lindsay ruined Yvonne’s wedding by making it all about her.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 8 July 2026
  • However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
    — Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado July 8, Sacbee.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of ruin
Noun
  • Although Chicago had its issues with redlining and massive disinvestment that left generational scars on some primarily Black neighborhoods, the small town ethos held little sway over me.
    — Dawn M. Turner, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026
  • Adding these impacts to the early Earth’s heat budget, though, proved rather challenging because Earth has a peculiar way of healing its scars.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 5 July 2026
Definition of scar
Verb
  • Lawyers estimate that thousands of minors may be eligible to join the classes and continue to seek out victims harmed by AI CSAM.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 8 July 2026
  • Cane toad eggs also contain bufotoxin, which can harm or kill native species that eat them, according to the FWC.
    — Sarah Perkel, USA Today, 8 July 2026
Definition of harm
Noun
  • The European side then notched up a third goal from Hans Vanaken just before the hour mark, before Romelu Lukaku wrapped up the victory with a late strike in injury time.
    — Lee Ying Shan,Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 7 July 2026
  • The Americans evened the score at the 31-minute mark on another exquisite free kick from Malik Tillman, who scored a similar goal in the previous game against Bosnia.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
Definition of mark
Verb
  • All of that seems reasonable, even when accounting for the drastic paycut, family distance and flawed rosters.
    — Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026
  • This analysis made several assumptions, some of which were flawed (though entirely reasonably).
    — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 10 June 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 10 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on blight

Nglish: Translation of blight for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about blight

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

The Words of the Week - Jul 10
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All