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
Atin Adhikari, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025
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
Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Poor fire and building safety standards lead to dozens of such disasters in Bangladesh each year, and past accidents have tarnished the South Asian country’s garments sector, which employs 4 million people and makes up more than 10% of the gross domestic product.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025
The greenheart wood planks are intact; the name plaque on the stern is barely tarnished.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Weston believes the sense of escape the gardens provide from the nearby city will be forever tarnished if the Black Mountain development, with buildings as tall as 70 feet, is allowed to encroach upon the property.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
But Mansell’s public record was forever tarnished.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Verb
Farmers in Jenkins County, like many farmers, face numerous insect infestations, including stink bugs, cotton bollworms, corn earworms, tarnished plant bugs and aphids.
—Atin Adhikari, The Conversation, 23 Sep. 2025
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
Fox has pointed to the indictment in arguing that Smartmatic’s reputation already was already tarnished, as the allegations are that at least $1 million in bribes were paid to the former chairman of the Commission on Elections in the Philippines during a period from 2015 to 2018.
—Ted Johnson, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2025
Poor fire and building safety standards lead to dozens of such disasters in Bangladesh each year, and past accidents have tarnished the South Asian country’s garments sector, which employs 4 million people and makes up more than 10% of the gross domestic product.
—Reuters, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2025
Before our very eyes, left-wing radicals toppled his statues, vandalized his monuments, tarnished his character, and sought to exile him from our public spaces.
—Addy Bink, The Hill, 12 Oct. 2025
The greenheart wood planks are intact; the name plaque on the stern is barely tarnished.
—Literary Hub, 10 Oct. 2025
Weston believes the sense of escape the gardens provide from the nearby city will be forever tarnished if the Black Mountain development, with buildings as tall as 70 feet, is allowed to encroach upon the property.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Sep. 2025
But Mansell’s public record was forever tarnished.
—Owen Clarke, Outside, 11 Sep. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnished
Verb
-
The criminal trial against the five players was widely followed across Canada and the sports world, and it was marred by logistical legal issues, including Judge Carroccia originally dismissing the trial in mid-May over the players’ defense attorneys’ behavior in court.—
Sean Neumann,
PEOPLE,
17 Oct. 2025
-
The contest was marred by violent disorder, with five people taken to hospital and 62 injured.—
Phil Hay,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
That’s why an unpolished moment on a stage as big as the Emmys lands harder than expected.—
Vibhas Ratanjee,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
While Manning was able to succeed as a runner, his passing abilities appeared largely unpolished, completing just 5 of his 16 pass attempts for 69 passing yards, with an interception to boot in the first half.—
Reice Shipley,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Suddenly, my spotless record was tainted.—
Joe Garcia,
New Yorker,
12 Oct. 2025
-
To this day, their armed forces remain tainted by the weight of their misrule and repression some 50 years ago.—
Kristina Mani,
The Conversation,
23 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Wood floors that have been stained in interesting patterns create a sense of architecture and rhythm, bridge traditional elements with modern ones, and can even help a space feel larger.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Oct. 2025
-
If a toilet seat is stained, go ahead and buy a replacement.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
One of the jurors said deliberations were poisoned by a belief among some jurors that a member of the panel had been paid off by Weinstein or his lawyers.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
-
His family believed he had been poisoned by the spirit, according to the Tennessee State Museum.—
Nathan Diller,
USA Today,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The gay window dresser Molina shares his dingy prison cell with the straight revolutionary activist Valentin and entertains him with dramatic fantasies surrounding his favorite movie star, the diva Ingrid Luna.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Leave downtown to find a couple of pearls tucked into dingy strip malls.—
Peter Cameron,
New York Times,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The nonprofit also pledged to assist villagers without power or running water, especially those whose food has spoiled at the start of the winter season.—
Christopher Cann,
USA Today,
16 Oct. 2025
-
Sandwich could only get one corner in the second half — which was spoiled by a shot ruled too high.—
Tom Mulherin,
Boston Herald,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Picture yourself in an old observatory on a crisp, starry autumn night—bronze instruments glinting in the dim light, surrounded by aged leather and parchment maps.—
Michael Stefanov,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
-
Gradually, the explosions settled down into a dim, homogeneous glow, a nebula of primordial data, a latent space for potential stars.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
14 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnished. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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