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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Recent Examples of tarnish
And while more of the same swoon tarnished Wednesday’s outset and finish, the Rays stabilized in between.
—
Compiled From Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 July 2025
An article in The Wall Street Journal suggests that the computer science degree, once viewed as a golden ticket, is now tarnished a bit by the more than 100,000 tech layoffs in the past six months.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2025
Sharapova returned to tennis in 2016, her reputation slightly tarnished but her celebrity still in tact.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Waterproof jewelry has opened the door to durable, stylish, and genuinely wearable accessories that won’t tarnish after a few wears.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Compiled From Wire Reports, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 July 2025
An article in The Wall Street Journal suggests that the computer science degree, once viewed as a golden ticket, is now tarnished a bit by the more than 100,000 tech layoffs in the past six months.
—Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 July 2025
Sharapova returned to tennis in 2016, her reputation slightly tarnished but her celebrity still in tact.
—Merlisa Lawrence Corbett, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
Waterproof jewelry has opened the door to durable, stylish, and genuinely wearable accessories that won’t tarnish after a few wears.
—Kaitlyn Gomez, USA Today, 4 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
-
Only Hu gave up power all at once in a relatively orderly succession, to Xi, but that process was tainted by the dramatic downfall of a Xi rival and powerful Politburo member, Bo Xilai.—
TYLER JOST,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Aug. 2025
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The Wild West was often tainted by territorial disputes and rivalries, often settled through showdowns or alliances.—
Jim Martin,
Denver Post,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Both votes were marred by what prosecutors said was a massive vote-buying scheme orchestrated by Shor, who has spent much of his time in Russia since he was convicted for his role in the 2014 theft of $1 billion from Moldovan banks.—
Christian Edwards,
CNN Money,
5 Aug. 2025
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Economically and socially liberal, though marred by colonial exploitation, Dutch society flourished.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.—
Jack Fitzgerald,
Car and Driver,
13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.—
Monica Mark,
The Christian Science Monitor,
10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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The color is also anti-fade, and won’t stain, shrink, or wrinkle.—
Stephanie Osmanski,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 Aug. 2025
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Block after block across metropolitan Milwaukee, piles of soaked carpets, waterlogged appliances and furniture stained beyond recognition now slump in front yards and along sidewalks.—
Caitlin Looby,
jsonline.com,
15 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But Trump has poisoned those relationships through his intemperate demands and threats.—
Steve Chapman,
Chicago Tribune,
6 Aug. 2025
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The blue tinge of Garrett’s corpse’s finger signals that he was poisoned, though, and this led to the discovery that Garrett’s father had sent him to the Rave’N to poison the outcasts, only the poison vial cracked and leeched into his skin instead.—
Dessi Gomez,
Deadline,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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The sky darkened during the Rays’ fourth-inning rally, and light rain intensified into a heavy downpour an inning later.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
31 July 2025
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Moments later, the sky darkens into a purplish blue before being split by a sharp bolt of lightning.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
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