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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

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

Related Articles But Jost’s tenure was also marred by controversy over the past few years. — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026 However, the approach is marred by low throughput, and the process is also quite complex to execute. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 27 Aug. 2026 The doc would soon be marred with legal issues as Williams’ guardian argued the network exploited Williams. — Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 24 Aug. 2026 In seeking a new trial, Anthony's attorneys have argued that the June proceedings were marred by strict courtroom rules and improper jury instructions. — Cbs Texas Staff, CBS News, 20 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mar

Noun

Autonomous navigation Transcatheter closure is a minimally invasive technique that repairs structural heart defects without open-heart surgery.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY) conducts screenings on the general population for those between 14 and 35 years old and found that one in every 300 people has a life-threatening heart defect.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of defect

Verb

But just the name alone, Abdul, some people are very tainted by the stereotypes.

— Sam Gringlas, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Attorneys could argue the jury pool is tainted or a new panel could similarly be subject to intimidation in Plymouth County if Clancy is tried there a second time.

— Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of taint

Verb

Less than a week after Baltimore spent $5 million to claim him off waivers, Robert injured his hamstring.

— Andy McCullough, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
At a separate Ohio event, an armed assailant charged toward Democratic candidate for Ohio governor Amy Acton during a Sunday stop at the Canfield Fair and injured several people before he was stopped by troopers, authorities said.

— Patrick Whittle, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of injure

Noun

Cardiac arrhythmia ablation, according to the British Heart Foundation, is when heat or cold energy is used to create tiny scars in the heart to block faulty signals and restore a typical heartbeat.

— Jordan Campbell, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
Wildfire burn scars increase the chances for flash-flooding events.

— Hali Smith, Idaho Statesman, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of scar

Verb

David Szondy/New Atlas The main drawback of all this is that paratroopers must still be dropped from an aircraft, which is often visible enough to spoil the whole stealth thing.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
To say more about director George Roy Hill’s remarkably gratifying thriller would risk spoiling it.

— Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of spoil

Verb

Extensive lines backed up at Kauai's primary airport as people tried to leave the island; state officials said the airport was operating on a lone backup generator because a second generator was damaged by the storm.

— GENE JOHNSON, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
The precise composition of ancient Egyptian paints, binders, adhesives, and similar materials used to make artifacts is largely unknown, in part because a full analysis would require taking samples that would damage those valuable artifacts.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of damage

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“Mar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mar. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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