blights 1 of 2

noun

plural of blight
as in defects
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

blights

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of blight
as in harms

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 blights
Noun
The same biological world that gives rise to forests, coral reefs and human life also produces infections, cancer, genetic disease, crop blights and toxins. — Tara Deans, The Conversation, 8 July 2026 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
  1. defects
  2. harms
  3. scars
  4. impairs
  5. blotches
  6. injures
  7. marks
  8. damages
Noun
  • For years, physicists have dreamed of optical chips where light can race around corners and dodge defects without losing information.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 1 Aug. 2026
  • In my experience, CTOs should track how often faster delivery produces measurable business value without increasing defects, rework or operational incidents.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
Definition of defects
Verb
  • The independent authors concluded that the state should funnel more money toward voluntary services, especially after hearing about the coercion and harms that people experienced under AOT orders.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 4 Aug. 2026
  • According to their study, these thin-film solar cells held onto over 90 percent of their original efficiency after being exposed to a harsh reverse bias of minus 40 volts, which usually harms standard thin-film solar cells.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
Definition of harms
Noun
  • The disease can lead to scars or lesions, which may slow or block signals from the brain.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 8 Aug. 2026
  • The silky, buildable formula camouflages all things acne scars, dark circles, and other blemishes without looking thick or cakey.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of scars
Verb
  • The delay, the filing notes, impairs Pewitt’s defense because the memories of witnesses fade and their availability is unknown, and the ability to find and re-examine physical evidence after 31 years is compromised.
    — Amy Lavalley, Chicago Tribune, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Hwang suffered a traumatic brain injury from the attack, leading to ataxia, a neurological disorder that impairs movement and muscle control, and occasional seizures.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 31 July 2026
Definition of impairs
Noun
  • The next morning, a galaxy of itchy red bumps and blotches stretched from my shoulder to my hip.
    — Ben Crair, New Yorker, 31 July 2026
  • Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.
    — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026
Definition of blotches
Verb
  • The heist goes wrong when one sister injures her back and ends up trapped on the second floor, setting off an increasingly frantic bid to get out before the homeowner comes home.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026
  • 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.
    — Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 23 June 2026
Definition of injures
Noun
  • Friday's decision marks yet another roadblock in the administration's efforts to construct the ballroom, which has faced legal challenges since it was proposed in July 2025.
    — Nathan Lee, ABC News, 8 Aug. 2026
  • Unfortunately, there seems to be a clear link between Murphy’s uptick in production and his ability to hit those high-water marks.
    — CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of marks
Verb
  • Similarly, if a house fire damages your HVAC equipment, replacement costs are generally included as part of your dwelling coverage.
    — Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 30 July 2026
  • This only damages your credibility more than the original mistake.
    — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of damages

Browse Nearby Words

blighting
blights
Blighty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blights. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on blights

Nglish: Translation of blights for Spanish Speakers

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

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

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?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat
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
fridge-magnet-letters
Drop a Letter Quiz August 2026 Drop a letter from a word to make a totally diffe...
See All