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
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 marring
Use place mats or tablecloths on your kitchen table to keep food spills, condensation from drinks, and utensils from marring or staining the surface.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Now, her engagement to the most influential eligible Commander in Gilead has been called off, marring her reputation.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
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
An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.
—William Roberson, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 29 May 2026
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.
—Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Now, her engagement to the most influential eligible Commander in Gilead has been called off, marring her reputation.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 27 May 2026
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
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
-
Protagonist Jo’s mother disappeared when Jo was a teen, tainting her daughter with the stain of possible witchcraft.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
At a time of intensifying divisions at home, a depiction of Ecuador could offer an Edenic, new-world landscape free from the partisanship tainting Church’s New England landscapes.—
Sebastian Smee,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
Overnight, Russian forces launched hundreds of missiles and drones across Ukraine, killing at least 14 people and damaging energy infrastructure, Ukrainian officials said.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
19 Aug. 2025
-
When making safety and preparedness decisions, do not focus on the exact forecast track since hazards such as flooding rain, damaging wind gusts, storm surge, and tornadoes extend well away from the center of the storm.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
18 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
The grandkids, who are the children of Stewart's only child, Alexis Stewart, are the mogul's pride and joy, and she's often spoken about spoiling them.—
Gillian Telling,
PEOPLE,
4 Dec. 2025
-
In Barbie’s take on Tchaikovsky, her extremely mysterious and unmarried (lesbian) aunt gifts her a nutcracker, which sends her into a miniature world of sugar plum fairies, dashing wooden toys, and rebel camps spoiling for war.—
Sadie Collins,
Them.,
26 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
History shows democratic societies periodically require moral correction when economic systems begin injuring people faster than institutions can protect them.—
Tom Debley,
Mercury News,
16 June 2026
-
Daniella and Castro admitted to injuring a corporal officer by dislocating his shoulder, per the outlet.—
Colson Thayer,
PEOPLE,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Inside, wear regular work gloves or thin, plastic gloves for staining and refinishing.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
11 June 2026
-
Under the microscope, the neuropathologist had seen evidence of C9orf72—there was abnormal p62 staining in Ray’s thalamus and several other brain structures.—
Adeline Goss,
New Yorker,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
Bolter was determined to capture the nuances Adams, Bardem, Wilson, and the other actors were finding in their characters, even if that meant compromising his own lighting plan at times.—
Jim Hemphill,
IndieWire,
8 June 2026
-
The attack, which has been linked to a threat actor tracked as TeamPCP, poisoned the durabletask package after compromising Microsoft credentials for publishing the package.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Crossed spears of sunlight fall into it but only so far, and beneath their yellow illuminations Brith can see depths and more depths of water, darkening to obscurity.—
Maggie O’Farrell,
Literary Hub,
2 June 2026
-
Its trio, a lonely fox-deer, an axolotl apprentice healer and a red panda Viking, travel through a darkening natural world as the series folds identity, belonging and environmental crisis.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
The fall broke both his legs, crippling him.—
Jennifer Ouellette,
ArsTechnica,
14 June 2026
-
However, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller — who lost the recent Republican primary to a candidate backed by Abbott — said the federal response will take too long and risks crippling the cattle industry.—
Jeffrey Collins,
Fortune,
9 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Marring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/marring. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
