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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taint
Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 17 June 2025
In his podcast on The Daily Wire this week, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro cited the taint of the jet deal and called on his listeners to honestly consider its implications.
—Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
Dan Mangan, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
Just as social media makes legacy media apparatus look sluggish by comparison, prediction markets expose traditional polls and surveys for being tainted by bias (see the 2016 Clinton fiasco).
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taint
Noun
That realization tends to color behavior, and taints the findings.
—Abhimanyu Ghoshal, New Atlas, 17 June 2025
In his podcast on The Daily Wire this week, conservative commentator Ben Shapiro cited the taint of the jet deal and called on his listeners to honestly consider its implications.
—Howard Lafranchi, Christian Science Monitor, 15 May 2025
Verb
King Charles’ brother, Prince Andrew, has been tainted by his own friendship with Epstein.
—Dan Mangan, CNBC, 17 Sep. 2025
Just as social media makes legacy media apparatus look sluggish by comparison, prediction markets expose traditional polls and surveys for being tainted by bias (see the 2016 Clinton fiasco).
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for taint
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taint
Noun
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After the hat has cooled, Rosa—a factory floor veteran of 30 years—will steam it to relax the fur’s fibers, and then inspect it for stains and imperfections.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
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To clean food stains or mineral deposits, spray the area with a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This creates unavoidable and intolerable conflicts of interest that poison the competitive dynamics that healthy markets require.—
Asad Ramzanali,
Time,
6 Oct. 2025
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Hogan initially denied poisoning her estranged husband, according to police, but later changed her story.—
Mike Stunson,
Miami Herald,
6 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, women in cobalt-mining regions have reported reproductive-health concerns such as miscarriages and birth defects; cobalt mining has also polluted croplands.—
Scott W. Stern,
The Atlantic,
2 Oct. 2025
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The group sees ample opportunity for partnership with some of the denim industry’s leading finishing innovators, who have worked to replace stone-washing techniques—which are polluting and water-guzzling—with lasers to achieve whiskering and distressing.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat by Alaves is the only blot on their copybook.—
Eduardo Tansley,
New York Times,
15 Sep. 2025
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Pretreat any stains with a stain remover of choice and blot with a dry white cloth to remove as much stain prior to washing.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Arsenal host Chelsea in the coming weeks, a two-pronged opportunity for both spoiling and redemption.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
5 Oct. 2025
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Furthermore, exposure to moisture or extreme temperatures (common in laundry rooms) can cause powdered detergents to harden and liquid detergents to spoil.—
Ashlyn Needham,
Southern Living,
5 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Although the bacterium can contaminate many types of food, cheeses or deli meats that are kept in cold storage for long periods in stores or at home are a place where listeria can keep growing.—
Matthew Robinson,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
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Sanitize Your Pet Supplies Everyday germs from the outside world and even pet food can contaminate your dog’s bowls, toys, and habitats.—
Lauren Wicks,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Anchored in Ana Tipa’s observational lens, the film uses a singular case to reflect on stigma, naming and destiny within Latin American contexts.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
3 Oct. 2025
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The automaker has recently expanded its apprenticeship programs and partnered with nonprofits to create new training opportunities, hoping to combat the persistent stigma and pay challenges attached to trade work.—
Dave Smith,
Fortune,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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What little momentum the Broncos created was frequently marred by penalties, and a third-down sack had ruined a scoring chance in the first half.—
Nick Kosmider,
New York Times,
6 Oct. 2025
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The show was marred only by an audio mix that dimmed Coleman’s evocative voice amid a wash of instruments — at least from this reviewer’s spot in the Fox — but the Red Clay Strays’ impact shone through nevertheless.—
Brian McCollum,
Freep.com,
5 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Taint.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taint. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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