1
as in marring
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in polluting
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 tainting
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
Now, streaming is tainting the postseason.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
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
Infected people and dogs had to be prevented from tainting water sources.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Judges typically allow for questioning of prospective jurors who may have a bias separately from the larger pool of jurors to avoid tainting others.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 12 Dec. 2025
And there's also issues of tainting the jury pool.
—Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
But there’s a taste of ash tainting the popcorn thrills.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
In its new filing, Mangione’s defense team expressed concern about tainting the pool of prospective jurors.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
Sebastian Smee, New Yorker, 4 May 2026
Now, streaming is tainting the postseason.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 15 Apr. 2026
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
Infected people and dogs had to be prevented from tainting water sources.
—Dan Raby, CBS News, 30 Jan. 2026
Judges typically allow for questioning of prospective jurors who may have a bias separately from the larger pool of jurors to avoid tainting others.
—John Diedrich, jsonline.com, 12 Dec. 2025
And there's also issues of tainting the jury pool.
—Stepheny Price , Michael Ruiz , Adam Sabes , Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 11 Dec. 2025
But there’s a taste of ash tainting the popcorn thrills.
—David Fear, Rolling Stone, 11 Nov. 2025
In its new filing, Mangione’s defense team expressed concern about tainting the pool of prospective jurors.
—Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainting
Verb
-
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
Verb
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As of last April, the state environmental agency was also lagging behind on inspections of polluting facilities, according to the audit.—
Christine Condon,
Baltimore Sun,
24 Apr. 2026
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In the industrial revolution, emissions from factories and eventually cars began polluting our air, trapping atmospheric gases and warming our planet, pushing temperatures to dangerous levels.—
Brandon Goldner,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Fungal diseases arrive, spoiling those flawless leaves and blooms — and our serenity.—
Rita Perwich,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
-
Sure, he’s driven by vengeance and ruthless in his pursuit, but — without spoiling anything — his motivation is clouded at best, misplaced at worst.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The young woman who sojourned to Oberlin College, where she was wrongfully accused of poisoning her classmates and beaten half to death, who raised her hands in defense of herself, then went on to grip clay and rock and chisel to re-create visions of justice.—
Tyehimba Jess,
ARTnews.com,
17 Apr. 2026
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Protesters, however, say that HERC, which neighbors Target Field near the North Loop neighborhood, is responsible for essentially poisoning people who live nearby.—
Conor Wight,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Once the structure is built, consider painting or staining the wood to both ensure the material's long-term integrity and enhance the overall look.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
3 May 2026
-
Porcelain options tend to resist staining better than other materials.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That fire was contaminating the water, reducing the city's access to clean river water.—
Dillon Thomas,
CBS News,
2 May 2026
-
Research has shown the likelihood of the gas contaminating soil and groundwater is low.—
Dorany Pineda,
Fortune,
2 May 2026
Verb
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The industry is grappling with these logistical hurdles against a backdrop of darkening economic sentiment.—
Arthur Zaczkiewicz,
Footwear News,
23 Apr. 2026
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The economist Adam Posen on the effect of the war in Iran on the world’s economy and the darkening economic outlook for the United States.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Sycamore examines her complicated relationship with her late grandmother Gladys, a renowned Baltimore artist, and begins by literally touching her paintings and collages.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Apr. 2026
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To protect yourself, the CDC encourages washing your hands after touching birds, anything in their habitat, and their eggs.—
Addy Bink,
The Hill,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tainting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainting. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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