as in marred
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in unpolished
Related Words
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
-
In the streaming era, modern audiences seem to crave talent that is more outspoken, unpolished and raw.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
4 Aug. 2025
-
The offense’s best chance to fabricate an open look comes possibly from an unpolished 19-year-old, Egor Demin, who Brooklyn selected with the No. 8 pick in last month’s draft.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
30 July 2025
Verb
-
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
-
Your dingy, plain-vanilla concrete drive can be transformed to a stunning art piece by installing a thin cement stucco coating.—
Tim Carter,
Hartford Courant,
2 Aug. 2025
-
These machines blast away years of grime, dirt, mildew, and even stubborn stains, transforming dingy and dull surfaces into sparkling clean ones in mere minutes.—
Mary Cornetta,
Better Homes & Gardens,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
In the dim lights of a Nashville bar or the buzz of a dorm social, a seemingly innocent sip can turn sinister if someone has access to your drink.—
Sarah Rumpf-Whitten , Ashley Papa,
FOXNews.com,
15 Aug. 2025
-
Big groups often dine under the dim lights while toasting martinis and Manhattans, but there’s a romantic air throughout (and a spartan little bar in the back).—
John Wenzel,
Denver Post,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Before then, the Pats defense tallied several sacks, and their quarterbacks carved up a lackluster Commanders secondary.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
7 Aug. 2025
-
In fact, Superman isn’t the first major studio film this year to score at homeland multiplexes while logging relatively lackluster box office abroad.—
Chris Lee,
Vulture,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The standalone pools that existed solely for lessons and swim teams tended to have white walls and a drab atmosphere.—
Mark Dent,
HubSpot,
1 Aug. 2025
-
The hotel room is a combination of drab green and beige, but Alice Cooper is a vision in black.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
29 July 2025
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Tarnished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnished. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share