as in stains
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 spoils
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 pollutes
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 taints
Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taints
Noun
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Stubborn stains, such as makeup, grass, and nail polish, can also benefit from a hot water wash.—
Patricia Shannon,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Nov. 2025
-
Leaks, ceiling stains or granules in gutters may signal damaged or missing asphalt shingles.—
Diana Leyva,
Nashville Tennessean,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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That’s the kind of failing grade that ends drives and spoils red zone trips.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Frozen Shrimp Shellfish, like shrimp, spoils quickly, which is why many people prefer to purchase frozen shrimp.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
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Debris pollutes waterways, cooking fires may spread, and the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly documented how homeless residents are more likely to be victims of crime.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
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Valuing a project at cost of production rather than value in an arm’s length sale—common in all economic statistics—especially mars Chinese data.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
People saw that with their own eyes, and slowly, these stigmas started to go away.—
Sam Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
29 Oct. 2025
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As a source of livelihood, Resh Lakish raised crocus plants for saffron, harvesting their flowers’ stigmas that constitute the spice.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Elsewhere, an unexpected power shift darkens the brotherhood bond between Phil (Adrian Holmes) and Geoffrey (Jimmy Akingbola), whose loyalties to the Banks family are tested.—
Natalie Oganesyan,
Deadline,
3 Nov. 2025
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The dishwasher often darkens and discolors aluminum cookware.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
30 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Lyon’s magnetism touches the entire cast, but her bits with both Killam’s Boone and Chenoweth’s Tammy really leap off the screen.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
7 Nov. 2025
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And none of that touches the benefits that could accrue to other people outfitted with BCI chips, who could then communicate and interact with AI systems.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
This tarnishes my view of Dean.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
7 Aug. 2025
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Ana Luisa Tired of budget-friendly jewelry that tarnishes after just a few wears?—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Taints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taints. Accessed 9 Nov. 2025.
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