1
as in tainting
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
mar a politician's reputation with scurrilous rumors
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in damaging
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of marring
Ancient lava fields can be seen as dark lunar maria marring the silvery lunar surface, which themselves are threaded with bright streaks of reflective debris strewn across the surface by violent asteroid strikes.
—
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.
—William Roberson, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Anthony Wood, Space.com, 2 Apr. 2026
The demoralizing graffiti marring the main entrance to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 360 Lenox Ave.
—Colin Mixson, New York Daily News, 12 Feb. 2026
Miles Bridges and Moussa Diabate, along with Detroit’s Isaiah Stewart and Jalen Duren, were ejected for fighting, marring what was an intriguing game between the top team in the Eastern Conference and the one featuring the NBA’s longest current win streak.
—Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.
—Jacob Robinson, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.
—William Roberson, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for marring
Verb
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Played by cisgender actress Kathleen Turner, Charles proved to be one of the more divisive characters from Friends, tainting its cultural legacy for some critics.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
16 Feb. 2026
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Infected people and dogs had to be prevented from tainting water sources.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
30 Jan. 2026
Verb
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One of the vehicles apparently also slammed into the rear of a parked silver BMW, damaging it, as well.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
12 Apr. 2026
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On Friday, the actor and NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series racer was involved in wreck with Tyler Reif and Timmy Hill on the Bristol Motor Speedway, damaging his Malcolm in the Middle themed Ford F-150 and taking him out of the race.—
Glenn Garner,
Deadline,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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After Thursday’s game, Weaver faced questions from reporters as an obvious culprit in spoiling McLean’s masterpiece.—
Will Sammon,
New York Times,
10 Apr. 2026
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More specifically — and without spoiling a story that piles the twists as high as the corpses — Pine's an ex-British soldier pulled from his porter duties and recruited to surveil a ruthless arms dealer, Richard Roper (Hugh Laurie) staying at the hotel.—
Matt Cabral,
Entertainment Weekly,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The city of Fort Worth is taking proactive measures to stop people from popping off and injuring their neighbors with stray bullets.—
Harrison Mantas,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Apr. 2026
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Since the start of the conflict, Tehran has fired more than 5,000 missiles and drones at Gulf states, killing 27 people and injuring at least 274 others as of April 6.—
Kelsey Warner,
semafor.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Studies have found that embarrassment around menstruation remains common, with many girls reporting anxiety about leaks, staining or being noticed by peers.—
Daniella Gray,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2026
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So, Navon and her husband undertook a full restoration, sanding and staining them a honey-oak hue that warms up the home from the ground up.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Cropped pants, like capri and ankle-length options, are a great alternative that offer some coverage without compromising on breathability.—
Jasmine Gomez,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
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When shopping for yourself or your family, keep these factors in mind to avoid compromising food quality.—
Olivia McIntosh,
Martha Stewart,
9 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The image below shows the SLS freeing itself of Earth, hauling the Artemis 2 mission to the darkening skies above Florida.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
2 Apr. 2026
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This linen-blend pinch pleated option is light-filtering—in other words, not as dense as room-darkening curtains or blackout designs—and available in 38 colors, with curtain rings and rods sold separately.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Confidence in Israel’s ability to seriously damage Iran’s nuclear program has slipped from 62% to 48%; expectations of crippling its ballistic missile arsenal have dropped from 73% to 57%.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
5 Apr. 2026
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All three largely believe the war caused the high gas and grocery prices that are crippling the nation’s economy.—
Terry Collins,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Marring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/marring. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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