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
This technique works if the metals are just a bit grimy, but wood ash can also be used to remove tarnish and rust, too.
—
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026
The reputation of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, one of the world’s biggest donors, is also getting tarnished.
—David Campbell, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Such actions not only reflect poorly on the individual involved but also tarnish the reputation of our schools, families, and community.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Chamberlain had a long career in public service, but his name will forever be tarnished in the annals of history and remembered for one thing — appeasement.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Mar. 2026
The reputation of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates, one of the world’s biggest donors, is also getting tarnished.
—David Campbell, The Conversation, 10 Mar. 2026
Such actions not only reflect poorly on the individual involved but also tarnish the reputation of our schools, families, and community.
—Melina Khan, USA Today, 9 Mar. 2026
Chamberlain had a long career in public service, but his name will forever be tarnished in the annals of history and remembered for one thing — appeasement.
—Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 8 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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Of course, at the heart of it was the man himself, a deeply polarizing music icon whose years-long tirades against everyone from Jewish people to his peers tainted a legacy that once seemed unimpeachable.—
Steven J. Horowitz,
Variety,
2 Apr. 2026
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Increasingly, judges are opting to sanction lawyers who submit briefs tainted by AI errors, Moylan said, sometimes fining those who refuse to admit wrongdoing or referring them to their state’s bar association for disciplinary actions.—
Sharon Bernstein,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Their reunion tour — which was somehow not marred by any type of familial controversy — sold out stadiums around the world and overexcelled in every conceivable way, setting the template for what the future of band reunions could look like and solidifying their legacy.—
Devon Ivie,
Vulture,
2 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Russo places a few dry paper towels in the bag to absorb excess moisture and prevent spoiling.—
Randi Gollin,
Martha Stewart,
2 Apr. 2026
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Choosing among loud, louder and loudest shirts, then contemplating whether to go with jorts or florts (don’t ask) and selecting the appropriate socks and crocs, Black finally is ready to go until Sarah Sherman shows up to spoil things.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
1 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The most popular American sport, long recession-proof, forever immune to greed’s side effects, is prepared to stain its legacy.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
30 Mar. 2026
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The fossils become smooth, rounded and mineral-stained from their time underwater, a process that also complicates efforts to date them precisely.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
29 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The second is a 100-day sludge line that will poison the reserves oil-hungry nations are racing to drain.—
Siddharth Misra,
Fortune,
28 Mar. 2026
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But would someone go so far as to poison a tree to keep the view open?—
Ashley Mackin Solomon,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Its flowers bloomed white in the spring, and its green summer leaves darkened to a reddish-purple hue in the fall.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
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This linen-blend pinch pleated option is light-filtering—in other words, not as dense as room-darkening curtains or blackout designs—and available in 38 colors, with curtain rings and rods sold separately.—
Nashia Baker,
Architectural Digest,
31 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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