as in marred
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in unpolished
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarnished
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Newer companies promising noble causes, in contrast, are not tarnished—or less tarnished, at least—which also appeals to idealistic young workers.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Smollett also attributed his drive to rebuild his career despite his tarnished reputation to his desire to inspire his future children.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
If anything, China is rising to the challenge of Arctic development made possible by failures in the West to fully develop its own remote Arctic territories, and to fully transcend its tarnished colonial histories.
—Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2025
But that image has become tarnished.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Tesla’s brand has been badly tarnished since Musk became involved in politics.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 24 July 2025
Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Suarez, one of the greatest strikers of his generation, has a history of disciplinary issues that has tarnished his legacy.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Newer companies promising noble causes, in contrast, are not tarnished—or less tarnished, at least—which also appeals to idealistic young workers.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
The project has also been tarnished by concerns surrounding governance, societal inequality, corruption and the environmental impact of largescale infrastructure schemes.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Lance Armstrong was one of the most famous athletes in the world before a doping scandal tarnished his career.
—Emily Krauser, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
If so, will his influence in the upper chamber be tarnished?
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Even before the crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried tarnished the name of effective altruism (EA), the movement had backed itself into tight corners.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Closer to downtown, the beaches were mostly tarnished by litter and construction debris.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Verb
If the copper is heavily tarnished, let the toothpaste's active ingredients work on the patina for ten minutes or so before buffing.
—Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2025
Newer companies promising noble causes, in contrast, are not tarnished—or less tarnished, at least—which also appeals to idealistic young workers.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
Smollett also attributed his drive to rebuild his career despite his tarnished reputation to his desire to inspire his future children.
—Alyssa Davis, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
If anything, China is rising to the challenge of Arctic development made possible by failures in the West to fully develop its own remote Arctic territories, and to fully transcend its tarnished colonial histories.
—Barry Scott Zellen, Hartford Courant, 18 Aug. 2025
But that image has become tarnished.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Tesla’s brand has been badly tarnished since Musk became involved in politics.
—Jonathan Easley, The Hill, 24 July 2025
Adjective
Corben’s film re-examine’s Deen’s life story, as well as the scandal that tarnished her reputation.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 5 Sep. 2025
Suarez, one of the greatest strikers of his generation, has a history of disciplinary issues that has tarnished his legacy.
—Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 4 Sep. 2025
Newer companies promising noble causes, in contrast, are not tarnished—or less tarnished, at least—which also appeals to idealistic young workers.
—Dave Smith, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2025
The project has also been tarnished by concerns surrounding governance, societal inequality, corruption and the environmental impact of largescale infrastructure schemes.
—Holly Ellyatt, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2025
Lance Armstrong was one of the most famous athletes in the world before a doping scandal tarnished his career.
—Emily Krauser, People.com, 24 Aug. 2025
If so, will his influence in the upper chamber be tarnished?
—Melissa Brown, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025
Even before the crypto fraudster Sam Bankman-Fried tarnished the name of effective altruism (EA), the movement had backed itself into tight corners.
—Dan Piepenbring, Harpers Magazine, 20 Aug. 2025
Closer to downtown, the beaches were mostly tarnished by litter and construction debris.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnished
Verb
-
Boy Meets World — Savage’s comedy legacy has been marred by multiple misconduct allegations over the years.—
Emily Blackwood,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
-
Holes marred the walls in the kitchen under the dish machine, dry storage and dish storage rooms.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Instead, later stages feel unpolished, undertested, and frankly harsh; some sections rely more on luck than skill due to dodgy responsiveness, weird puzzle timings, or the occasional drop into sub-30fps territory.—
Matt Gardner,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
-
His raw, unpolished voice and straightforward style resonated with migrant communities and working-class listeners.—
Tere Aguilera,
Billboard,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Conversely, the painful final months of a relationship can overshadow years of warmth, making the entire story feel tainted.—
Mark Travers,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
-
The decision came in response to challenges from criminal defense attorneys, who argued their clients’ prosecutions were tainted because Habba was kept in place despite not previously serving as the first assistant to the office.—
Kaelan Deese,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Suarez, the 38-year-old Uruguayan icon and one of the greatest strikers in history with more than 500 goals for club and country, has had his legacy stained by disciplinary issues.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Bricks look weathered and soot-stained, there’s graffiti on the walls, posters are peeling off them and shadows of moving people are even projected onto the windows of the train in the station.—
Caroline Reid,
Forbes.com,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Abusers and traffickers are exploiting this lack of oversight—leaving women coerced, deceived, and sometimes poisoned.—
Christa Brown,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
-
This cover-up is the dark secret that poisoned the family for years.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Always look for bright, vibrant heads of lettuce and avoid brown spots or dingy yellow leaves.—
Lauren O'Connor,
Health,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Driveway or garage looking a little dingy?—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
However, an egg past its use-by date is not necessarily spoiled.—
Merve Ceylan,
Health,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Fans of the original film have been very vocal about the costumes seen on set — with some expressing frustration about the sheer number of looks that have been spoiled thanks to the swarm of paparazzi.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Gone were the days when students arrived on campus with dim memories of high school civics.—
Sam Wineburg,
The Conversation,
26 Aug. 2025
-
BofA sees dim employment prospects for young workers in the medium term, given uncertainty from the new tariffs regime, the adoption of AI, and the general drag on entry-level positions.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
25 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnished. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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