as in defects
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the expanding urban sprawl is a blight on the countryside
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blights
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Fungicides, for instance, are used to suppress disease-causing pathogens like blights and leaf spots, but might also impact beneficial microbes that live in flowers.
—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
Yearning to light some tech on fire is a relatable feeling these days, as generative artificial intelligence promises to supplant nearly every form of non-physical labor, social media wreaks havoc on the mental health of young people, and massive data centers loom as environmental blights.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Even a simple soaker hose is better than a sprinkler system that wets the foliage, which can make plants prone to blights and mildews.
—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
The more kinds of plants, the more defenses to fend off the blights and insect infestations that ran unobstructed through landowners’ large mono-crop fields.
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
Concerns over blights and quality of life became political issues.
—
Terry Castleman,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Fungicides, for instance, are used to suppress disease-causing pathogens like blights and leaf spots, but might also impact beneficial microbes that live in flowers.
—
Miri Talabac,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Apr. 2026
Yearning to light some tech on fire is a relatable feeling these days, as generative artificial intelligence promises to supplant nearly every form of non-physical labor, social media wreaks havoc on the mental health of young people, and massive data centers loom as environmental blights.
—
Kyle Chayka,
New Yorker,
8 Apr. 2026
Even a simple soaker hose is better than a sprinkler system that wets the foliage, which can make plants prone to blights and mildews.
—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
3 Mar. 2026
The more kinds of plants, the more defenses to fend off the blights and insect infestations that ran unobstructed through landowners’ large mono-crop fields.
—
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blights
Noun
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Roughly one-third of congenital heart defects in children with Down syndrome resolve naturally, and many need only a minor intervention.
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These defects do not occur naturally but are created.
Verb
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Uthmeier does deserve credit on other consumer issues, notably involving hospital pricing, artificial intelligence safety and investigating CVS Health over whether its pharmacy benefit manager affiliate harms consumers by improperly favoring CVS drug stores.
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The elite college admissions process has become a trial that harms our children.
Noun
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The emotional toll of surviving a gunshot wound Dewey never tried to hide the scars.
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With all the scars, the pain, the regret and, yes, the love.
Verb
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Disrupting essential frontline activities and tier huddles can cause a domino effect that impairs future lean efforts rather than lay a foundation for improvement.
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Poor sleep impairs barrier function and slows the overnight repair window, and chronic sleep restriction visibly accelerates aging.
Noun
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Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.
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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.
Verb
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Early on in the clip, Jake Johnson’s former tennis star Dusty Boyd trips over the net and injures his wrist in a bad way.
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Who is responsible when a robot breaks something or injures someone?
Noun
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Small scratches or marks aren't usually a problem, but cracks and deep chips can get worse.
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Customers gave Jersey Mike's especially high marks for the freshness of its food, menu variety, and value.
Verb
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Most notably, those who switched faced a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
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Your Eyes High blood pressure also damages the sensitive back lining of the eye called the retina.
Cite this Entry
“Blights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blights. Accessed 1 Jul. 2026.
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