as in marred
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in unpolished
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Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnished
Verb
-
Lennon's notoriously troubled upbringing was marred by paternal abandonment, frequent moves, and the sudden death of those closest to him, including his estranged mother Julia.—
Jordan Runtagh,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025 -
The decision was not marred by procedural unfairness.—
Simon Perry,
People.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The location, unpolished but still touched with Telfar’s essence, as his white and neutral-toned tank tops hung on clotheslines from building to building looming above the audience.—
Tiana Randall,
Forbes.com,
7 July 2025
-
The interiors feature raw, unpolished concrete walls and ceilings, thoughtfully juxtaposed with soft timber furnishings in a traditional Norwegian style.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
25 June 2025
Verb
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Amazon objected to the 2022 warehouse election results, alleging the Amazon Labor Union and the federal labor board had tainted the vote.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
23 Dec. 2024
-
Some see all Russians and their cultural heritage as irredeemably tainted by imperial thinking, a view heavily influenced by post-colonial studies in American academia.—
Andrew Higgins,
New York Times,
22 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
That number includes children, who represent 16 percent of those poisoned and 27 percent of all fatalities.—
Stacey Leasca,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Apr. 2025
-
And guess what, hospitals are seeing cases of vitamin A toxicity — of kids poisoned by being fed too many vitamins instead of being vaccinated.—
New York Daily News Editorial Board,
New York Daily News,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Torry’s candidly dumpy, dingy, dated, wood panel lined courtroom allowed for the placement of contemporary art and the banging of nails into walls which would have been forbidden in one of the ornate ground floor courtrooms.—
Chadd Scott,
Forbes.com,
8 July 2025
-
Pictures shared by investigators show a dingy basement lit by a single bulb, with hooked metal chains dangling from wooden beams overhead.—
Mitchell Willetts,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Think musky candles, dim lighting, lo-fi jazz and smooth whiskey with a big cube.—
Kelly Rook Daly,
Los Angeles Times,
11 July 2025
-
University of Warwick/Mark Garlick Many of the stars in the Milky Way galaxy are small, dim red dwarfs—stars much smaller than the sun in both size and mass.—
Ritsuko Kawai,
Wired News,
9 July 2025
Adjective
-
Though the fantastical tale of an optimistic man regaining faith in humanity on Christmas Eve was initially met with lukewarm reviews and a lackluster box office performance, the film has since become an American classic, especially during the holidays.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
14 July 2025
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But don’t lose sight of the statement Schoen and Daboll are trying to make with an offense that is practically a mirror image of last year’s lackluster group: Jones, the quarterback, was the problem.—
Pat Leonard,
Hartford Courant,
14 July 2025
Adjective
-
There are red arrows drawn on photos of chain link fences and drab village streets, warning me not to go left at the soccer field, but bear right across the highway.—
Rebecca Chace
July 14,
Literary Hub,
14 July 2025
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Now’s an excellent time to find deep discounts on investment pieces like a stylish new sectional, an outdoor furniture set for your next BBQ, or something to spruce up your drab home office.—
Audrey Lee,
Architectural Digest,
3 July 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Tarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnished. Accessed 23 Jul. 2025.
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