tarnish

1 of 2

verb

tar·​nish ˈtär-nish 

tarnished; tarnishing; tarnishes

transitive verb

1

: to dull or destroy the luster of by or as if by air, dust, or dirt : soil, stain

2

a

: to detract from the good quality of : vitiate

his fine dreams now slightly tarnished

b

: to bring disgrace on : sully

the scandal has tarnished his reputation

intransitive verb

: to become tarnished

tarnishable

ˈtär-ni-shə-bəl 

adjective

tarnish

2 of 2

noun

: something that tarnishes

especially : a film of chemically altered material on the surface of a metal (such as silver)

Synonyms

Verb

• blemish
• darken
• mar
• poison
• spoil
• stain
• taint
• touch
• vitiate

Examples of tarnish in a Sentence

Verb

Some foods will tarnish silver.

The scandal tarnished his reputation.

Noun

a polish that removes tarnish

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

The scandal tarnished the reputation of Marie-Antoinette, who was unjustly accused of having an immoral relationship with a cardinal, and discredited the French monarchy ahead of the French Revolution, in which the Queen ultimately met her demise. —Amarachi Orie, CNN, 24 Sep. 2024

The extremely negative reception to their most recent games, Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017) and Anthem (2019), tarnished the developer that was once seen as one of the most beloved in the industry. —Hayes Madsen, Rolling Stone, 28 Oct. 2024

Noun

Aside from being unrecyclable, these cheaper materials tarnish easily when well-used and well-loved by the consumer. —Mark Holgate, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2024

Apply pure wax and buff with a soft cloth, or use specialized chrome polish to protect the surface against tarnish and oxidation. —Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English ternysshen, from Middle French terniss-, stem of ternir, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German tarnan to hide

First Known Use

Verb

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1684, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tarnish

• anti-tarnish

Kids Definition

tarnish

1 of 2 verb

tar·​nish ˈtär-nish 

1

: to make or become dull, dim, or discolored

silver tarnishes

2

: to bring disgrace or cast doubt on

tarnished the family's good name

tarnish

2 of 2 noun

: something that tarnishes

especially : a film of chemically changed material on the surface of a metal (as silver)