MAR Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'mar' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mar are damage , harm , hurt , impair , and injure . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

Q: When is it sensible to use 'damage' instead of 'mar'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mar , damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When might 'harm' be a better fit than 'mar'?

The words harm and mar can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When is 'hurt' a more appropriate choice than 'mar'?

In some situations, the words hurt and mar are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When can 'impair' be used instead of 'mar'?

The words impair and mar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: In what contexts can 'injure' take the place of 'mar'?

The meanings of injure and mar largely overlap; however, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

mar 1 of 2

noun

Definition of mar

as in defect

something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing the Johnsons complained to the movers about broken dishes and mars on the furniture

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mar

2 of 2

verb

ˈmär

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable mar a politician's reputation with scurrilous rumors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to injure

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the once glossy surface is now marred by numerous small pits and abrasions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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How is the word mar distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mar are damage, harm, hurt, impair, and injure. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

When is it sensible to use damage instead of mar?

While in some cases nearly identical to mar, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When might harm be a better fit than mar?

The words harm and mar can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When is hurt a more appropriate choice than mar?

In some situations, the words hurt and mar are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When can impair be used instead of mar?

The words impair and mar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can injure take the place of mar?

The meanings of injure and mar largely overlap; however, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

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 mar

Verb

Similar allegations have marred prominent high school football programs in Southern California in recent years. — Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026 The unveiling event itself was marred when Musk tried to prove that its windows were shatterproof by having metal balls thrown at them - only to leave massive cracks in two of them. — Reuters, NBC news, 6 Nov. 2026 This year the olive harvest for Palestinians in the occupied West Bank was marred by frequent attacks by Israeli settlers trying to disrupt this economically and culturally significant time of year. — Ruth Sherlock, NPR, 6 Nov. 2026 Because the moon is so far away from Earth, the view is not marred by diffraction, and the corona reveals itself nearly all the way down to the sun’s surface. — IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mar

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

The scandal threatens to taint Huang’s largely positive personal brand – one that has transformed him into an icon among individual and professional investors alike.

— Clare Duffy, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2026
In fact, aducanumab, sold as Aduhelm, was tainted by the controversy and never achieved broad use.

— Manvir Singh, New Yorker, 2 Nov. 2026

Definition of taint

Noun

Filming ‘Roar’ Filming her mother and stepfather’s passion project, Roar, left the young actress with a scar after she was slashed by a lioness on set.

— Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 6 Nov. 2026
So the county is now stepping in, or at least trying to, with its New Roots Eaton Canyon Pilot Program, to test the soil for those living in the burn scar.

— Joy Benedict, CBS News, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of scar

Verb

The company argues that much of the opposition is based on wrong or insufficient information, and contends that its operation wouldn’t drain resources or damage the environment, but would produce a hefty tax revenue boost for Cromwell.

— Don Stacom, Hartford Courant, 13 Nov. 2026
The researchers found that these structures concentrated electrical activity into tiny hotspots, helping amplify the material’s ability to damage bacterial cells.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 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

Donning a pink skirt suit and matching pillbox hat stained with fake blood, Fox stepped out as the former First Lady during an event for Urban Decay.

— Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2026
The sculptures were frequently stained with graphite or chalk dust, whose force of presence was comparable to that of cliff or cave, capable of stunning the viewer into silence.

— News Desk, Artforum, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of stain

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“Mar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mar. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

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