as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
that rare political campaign that wasn't marred by the taint of false accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to poison
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
criticism of her sister's singing that was tainted by envy a tendency toward conceitedness taints the athlete's status as a role model
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to pollute
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
smog has long tainted the air of the city, making it difficult to breathe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taint
Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
That realization tends to color behavior, and taints the findings.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 17 June 2025
CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
That experience is quickly tainted, however, once dullness and yellowing set into the fabrics.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taint
Noun
Some argued that, given the presumptive unethical taint of such collections, human remains should be buried or otherwise respectfully disposed of.
—Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
That realization tends to color behavior, and taints the findings.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 17 June 2025
Verb
Luigi Mangione's lawyers contend that Attorney General Pam Bondi's decision to seek the death penalty against him in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was tainted by her prior work as a lobbyist at a firm that represented the insurer's parent company.
—CBS News, 21 Dec. 2025
That experience is quickly tainted, however, once dullness and yellowing set into the fabrics.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 17 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taint
Noun
-
Snag it in black, white, green, blue, or maple or walnut wood stains in sizes ranging from 4 by 4 inches to 8 by 10 inches.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
Additional Tips Avoid using hairspray to clean nail polish stains.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
According to other accounts, some white residents believed Makandal and his allies were behind a plot to poison the water supply in all the houses in the city of Le Cap.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Jan. 2026
-
In a recent study, however, researchers at Yale found that interoception helped mice avoid poisoning themselves.—
The New York Times News Service Syndicate,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Despite the cesspits of conspiracy-think that pollute contemporary politics, the specific paranoia of Letts’s characters — bugs under the skin, brainwashing, nefarious doctors in government labs — feels less blazingly relevant than comparatively quaint.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Chemical rockets put out huge plumes of polluting exhaust, and for a massive machine like the SpaceX Starship, with 33 first-stage engines, that can add up—especially with hundreds of launches planned.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Spray the mixture onto the stain and then blot with a clean microfiber cloth.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
7 Nov. 2025
-
After a few minutes, blot the area and wash the item by hand.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
29 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Pluribus crackles with terrific comic tension as Carol wakes up next to her dead partner, filled with grief yet spoiling for a fight.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Without spoiling too much, the two-minute clip finds Carol weathering ample concern for her less-than-cheery demeanor.—
Randall Colburn,
Entertainment Weekly,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The estimated volume of wastewater contaminating the San Gabriel River is more than 100,000 gallons, per the release.—
Rachel Raposas,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
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But by then, decades of unregulated waste disposal had contaminated sites all over the country.—
James Salzman,
The Conversation,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
With so much stigma on trying to revive long-dormant shows, some stars and showrunners would rather just gather for a reunion special.—
Michael Schneider,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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For more than three decades, Ralph has embodied that light, using her platform to fight HIV/AIDS stigma and uplift communities through her nonprofit, The DIVA Foundation.—
Donnetta Monk,
Essence,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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This dynamic marred the 2012-13 Hurricane Sandy package and has recurred in other disaster bills, not because relief is illegitimate but because speed plus political cover invites provisions that would die in regular order.—
Veronique De Rugy,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
-
Sook’s comments followed Nexstar’s report of quarterly results, which were marred by the absence of political advertising compared with the same quarter in 2024.—
Dade Hayes,
Deadline,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taint. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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