as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarnish
Some companies have discovered their innocent shenanigans failed to delight audiences and instead tarnished their brands.
—
John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
The trouble tarnished one of the biggest days of the year in Cincinnati, which began with the annual Findlay Market parade and high hopes among Downtown-area businesses for a busy start to the Reds season.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2026
Anthropic said the designation violated its First Amendment rights, tarnished its reputation and jeopardized hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of contracts.
—Devan Cole, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
The injury tarnished an impressive return for Moody, who missed Golden State’s previous 10 games with a wrist injury.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
John Tufts, IndyStar, 1 Apr. 2026
The trouble tarnished one of the biggest days of the year in Cincinnati, which began with the annual Findlay Market parade and high hopes among Downtown-area businesses for a busy start to the Reds season.
—David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 27 Mar. 2026
Anthropic said the designation violated its First Amendment rights, tarnished its reputation and jeopardized hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of contracts.
—Devan Cole, CNN Money, 26 Mar. 2026
The injury tarnished an impressive return for Moody, who missed Golden State’s previous 10 games with a wrist injury.
—Ron Kroichick, San Francisco Chronicle, 24 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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There, Quenneville’s triumphs were later tainted by an organizational scandal that left him barred by the league for several seasons prior to joining the Ducks.—
Andrew Knoll,
Oc Register,
15 Apr. 2026
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Now, streaming is tainting the postseason.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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But her career has been marred by high-profile incidents — including being photographed in 2007 with a freshly shaven head hitting a car with an umbrella.—
Marlene Lenthang,
NBC news,
13 Apr. 2026
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Sunday’s vote was marred by delays in distributing electoral materials in several districts of Lima, forcing authorities to extend voting into Monday.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
13 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Without spoiling anything, the musical’s new ending resembles the vague finale of the novel.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Apr. 2026
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This sprout is the early stage of a new garlic plant forming inside the clove, not a sign that your garlic has spoiled.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Being a part of Infowars was not just a temporary sacrifice, but an irrevocable black mark on all of us, and according to Jones, working alongside him would forever stain our résumés and limit our prospects.—
Josh Owens,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
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Make sure the deck is completely dry before staining or sealing it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 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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This same legacy may also poison international attitudes toward his country.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The staggering human toll in Gaza, ongoing West Bank settlement expansion, another incursion into Lebanon, and a darkening war with Iran eroded support among younger Americans—even as Washington remains Israel’s indispensable security partner.—
Ian Bremmer,
Time,
15 Apr. 2026
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The Iran war is darkening the outlook for the world economy — whether or not a fragile ceasefire holds, the head of the International Monetary Fund warned Thursday.—
Paul Wiseman,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 21 Apr. 2026.
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