as in contamination
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as in marring
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
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Recent Examples of tarnishing
Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Make sure to hand-wash any copper items or other precious metals to keep their shine and luster intact and avoid discoloration or tarnishing.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
According to Jacqueline Kim, the account director at consulting firm DEH Jewelry Solutions, tarnishing occurs primarily due to chemical reactions between metals and elements in the environment, such as oxygen.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Bambaataa denied the allegations in a statement that invoked a sense of conspiracy, and suggested that the accusers were agents intent on tarnishing his reputation.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
The Tate necklace has a stack of three chains, including a tennis, hera, and bezel-set, and is designed with a stainless steel protective coating that’s water-resistant, so it’s protected against tarnishing.
—Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
After the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, athletes raised concerns that their awards, which famously included pieces of the Eiffel Tower, were tarnishing and corroding after the games.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026
Simply putting a protective barrier like a regular cloth between your silver and the outside world wouldn’t be enough to stop tarnishing.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Watson stirred controversy late in life, tarnishing his reputation as a scientist in a series of racist remarks.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Internal rivalries, particularly between his sister and his chief adviser, spilled into public view, tarnishing the administration’s image.
—María Victoria Murillo, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
His arrest and subsequent trial blew it over like a house of cards, though, tarnishing Combs' reputation with claims of domestic abuse, intimidation and rampant drug use.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Noun
It’s made of 10K gold, so any tarnishing that happens down the line can likely be cleaned or polished away.
—Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026
Make sure to hand-wash any copper items or other precious metals to keep their shine and luster intact and avoid discoloration or tarnishing.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026
According to Jacqueline Kim, the account director at consulting firm DEH Jewelry Solutions, tarnishing occurs primarily due to chemical reactions between metals and elements in the environment, such as oxygen.
—Shelby Ying Hyde, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
These are formulated to restore chrome’s mirrorlike finish without tarnishing or damaging the plating.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026
Bambaataa denied the allegations in a statement that invoked a sense of conspiracy, and suggested that the accusers were agents intent on tarnishing his reputation.
—Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026
The Tate necklace has a stack of three chains, including a tennis, hera, and bezel-set, and is designed with a stainless steel protective coating that’s water-resistant, so it’s protected against tarnishing.
—Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026
After the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, athletes raised concerns that their awards, which famously included pieces of the Eiffel Tower, were tarnishing and corroding after the games.
—Juliana Kim, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026
Simply putting a protective barrier like a regular cloth between your silver and the outside world wouldn’t be enough to stop tarnishing.
—Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
Watson stirred controversy late in life, tarnishing his reputation as a scientist in a series of racist remarks.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Internal rivalries, particularly between his sister and his chief adviser, spilled into public view, tarnishing the administration’s image.
—María Victoria Murillo, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
His arrest and subsequent trial blew it over like a house of cards, though, tarnishing Combs' reputation with claims of domestic abuse, intimidation and rampant drug use.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnishing
Noun
-
These advisories account for that lingering contamination.—
Daniel Bain,
The Conversation,
22 June 2026
-
The plans have touched off stiff opposition from neighbors worried about soil erosion, already a problem in an area of steeply sloping topography, and potential well contamination.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.—
Valerie Fraser Luesse,
Southern Living,
16 June 2026
-
In Strasbourg, groups of Palace supporters clashed among themselves in a square in the city centre, marring the occasion.—
Matt Woosnam,
New York Times,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
The smoke from the fire also prompted a special particle pollution advisory from the South Coast Air Quality Management District.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
21 June 2026
-
On Saturday, officials extended a health advisory because of particle pollution from a massive warehouse fire in Boyle Heights.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Verb
-
The case has attracted enormous media attention and concerns from both sides about misinformation tainting the potential jury pool.—
Rebecca Boone,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
-
Thursday’s study is not the first indication that social media may be tainting people’s views on sunscreen and sun safety.—
Lily Alvino,
NBC news,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Color Changes Foods can darken or brown slightly from exposure to oxygen rather than spoiling.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
18 June 2026
-
Mbappé and his teammates were inefficient to start, with poor touches spoiling attacks in and out of the box.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
Lewis was accused of poisoning two white female housemates, assaulted by a white mob in response to the charge, and acquitted in court, only to then be accused of stealing art supplies and prohibited from reënrolling.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
8 June 2026
-
It was also used in a separate supply-chain attack poisoning dozens of Red Hat packages.—
Dan Goodin,
ArsTechnica,
8 June 2026
Verb
-
Today, the skies seem to be darkening once again.—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
-
One brush fire from the summer storm then split into two, and the raging flames sent plumes of black smoke upward, darkening the skies for miles and fouling the air.—
Kairi Lowery,
Miami Herald,
18 June 2026
Verb
-
Sealing the grout keeps foods from staining it.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
20 June 2026
-
Natural stone can be more involved; it should be sealed before grouting and can require upkeep to protect against staining.—
Angelika Pokovba,
Martha Stewart,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tarnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnishing. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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