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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tainting
In its new filing, Mangione’s defense team expressed concern about tainting the pool of prospective jurors.
—
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
In the end, when Malcolm pulls out a sword on him, Brian is given little choice but to kill Malcolm in front of Ellen in the ensuing battle, tainting the start of the happy couple’s life together.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
Rahmani, the former prosecutor, said statements by Patel and other Justice Department officials could raise concerns about tainting the jury pool in a future trial.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
And around all this, the whiff of Epstein is tainting the president's achievements.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025
Aaron Katersky, ABC News, 17 Oct. 2025
In the end, when Malcolm pulls out a sword on him, Brian is given little choice but to kill Malcolm in front of Ellen in the ensuing battle, tainting the start of the happy couple’s life together.
—Max Gao, HollywoodReporter, 13 Oct. 2025
Rahmani, the former prosecutor, said statements by Patel and other Justice Department officials could raise concerns about tainting the jury pool in a future trial.
—Erin Mansfield, USA Today, 15 Sep. 2025
And around all this, the whiff of Epstein is tainting the president's achievements.
—Kate Plummer, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tainting
Verb
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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
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An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
William Roberson,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
Verb
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In mineral-rich regions of Africa and South America, Chinese firms have unleashed 21st century resource colonialism, exploiting workers and polluting the environment.—
Young Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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The attorney general’s office said that plastic retail bags comprise much of the waste that is polluting California’s ecosystems and clogging its waterways.—
Kate Nishimura,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Without spoiling anything, Liberation’s ending doesn't quite stick the landing either.—
Emlyn Travis,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Oct. 2025
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For the party’s new leadership, running Libertarian candidates and providing an outlet for their voters’ political perspective isn’t spoiling.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
26 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after swallowing the bacteria.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
22 Oct. 2025
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The plot was inspired by a Japanese news report that had deeply disturbed Woo, about a lunatic guilty of poisoning baby formula.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
19 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Each clothing sample was subjected to various forms of physical and environmental degradation such as washing, aging and staining to determine how easily compounds could leach from fabrics onto the skin of the wearer.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Sourcing Journal,
22 Oct. 2025
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The researchers hope to develop a version that's safe, pleasant-tasting and suitable for large-scale production, without the drawbacks of current treatments like tooth staining, tartar buildup and taste changes in the mouth.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Raw sewage, which has gone untreated and continued to build up during the war, is contaminating the aquifer Gaza shares with Israel and Egypt—creating ideal conditions for waterborne disease outbreaks.—
Simmone Shah,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
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That may be evidence that profitable firms make money in part by contaminating the environment rather than paying for pollution prevention or cleanup.—
Jennifer Brodmann,
The Conversation,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Farther up, on Observatory Hill, tall cryptomeria trees were silhouetted in the darkening evening, and down in the valleys, lights winked on like reflections of the planets and stars appearing in the sky.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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Plus, their fabric and fill are less likely to accrue that ever-darkening yellowish stain that tired goose down pillows acquire over time, thanks to sweat, oils, lotion residues, etc.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Magic is the ability to make someone smile or laugh or sing a tune without even touching them.—
Ilana Kaplan,
PEOPLE,
24 Oct. 2025
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Everything about driving the EX30 came naturally, including adjusting to its one-pedal deceleration, which brought it to a predictable stop without my touching the brake pedal.—
Mark Phelan,
Freep.com,
23 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tainting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tainting. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.
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