as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
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Recent Examples of tarnish
And a scandal that sees Runway fooled by (LOL) a fast fashion brand with sweatshop ties as tarnished the mag’s sterling reputation.
—
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 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
Things that start off shiny usually tarnish.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
Not tarnished because of this conflict.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 29 Apr. 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
Things that start off shiny usually tarnish.
—Walden Green, Pitchfork, 24 Apr. 2026
Not tarnished because of this conflict.
—Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
-
Does the fact that Burden is still pretty wealthy really taint this tale of heartbreak?—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
28 May 2026
-
Otherwise, journalism may be perceived as misleading the audience, prompting people to turn to other sources of information that may be tainted by self-interest rather than public interest.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
28 May 2026
Verb
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But six years after NASA certified SpaceX to ferry crews to and from the ISS, Boeing’s Starliner still lacks approval for regular crew rotation flights after a 2024 test flight was marred by technical issues.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
29 May 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
Verb
-
Culpepper allowed four hits in his two innings of work, including a ninth-inning homer to spoil the shutout, while striking out four to secure the lopsided victory.—
Staff Report,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
-
But while unopened alcohol may not spoil, the flavor and color can change for the worse over time.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
29 May 2026
Verb
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Not every paramilitary fighter is stained by the corruption of the Shia elite or implicated in spilling innocent blood in recent years.—
Nabil Salih,
Time,
26 May 2026
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Dressing up for warmer weather can be a challenge since plush fabrics like silk can easily stain and aren’t as breathable.—
Lane Nieset,
Travel + Leisure,
24 May 2026
Verb
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The defense pushed back on the state's claim that Kouri had tried to poison Eric weeks earlier with that Valentine's Day sandwich.—
Natalie Morales,
CBS News,
24 May 2026
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The chemotherapy doctors are poisoning you.—
Eileen Finan,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Verb
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For her role as Selena Quintanilla in the 1997 film about the late singer, her arches were darkened and defined.—
Tori Crowther,
Allure,
27 May 2026
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Moonrise will take place across North America in blue hour, when the sky is darkening but still retains color — perfect timing.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 30 May. 2026.
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