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
Wars with Native Americans like the Sioux and Comanche tarnished Western ground.
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Andrew Sharp, Outdoor Life, 27 Nov. 2024
Rumors circulated, trying to dig up dirt on him or tarnish his reputation.
—Jim McDermott, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2024
Crypto’s public perception was badly tarnished after the collapse of FTX.
—Steven Ehrlich, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Any re-entry before Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty is fully restored, war crimes perpetrators are brought to justice, and reparations are addressed will not only tarnish their reputation but also signal corporate complicity in Russia’s ongoing aggression.
—Nezir Sinani, Fortune Europe, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish 
Andrew Sharp, Outdoor Life, 27 Nov. 2024
Rumors circulated, trying to dig up dirt on him or tarnish his reputation.
—Jim McDermott, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Nov. 2024
Crypto’s public perception was badly tarnished after the collapse of FTX.
—Steven Ehrlich, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Any re-entry before Ukraine’s territorial sovereignty is fully restored, war crimes perpetrators are brought to justice, and reparations are addressed will not only tarnish their reputation but also signal corporate complicity in Russia’s ongoing aggression.
—Nezir Sinani, Fortune Europe, 21 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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Drew Angerer/Getty Images/Getty Images North America Unexpected financial concerns have tainted nominations as well, especially during former President Barack Obama's administration, who had a total of three Cabinet picks back out, the most of any president in recent history.Elena Moore, NPR, 11 Dec. 2024
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His records and stats are somewhat tainted by the fact he’s had zero resistance from a teammate since Daniel Riccardo, and even that was short-lived.Rob Reed, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
Verb
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The first talking head in the film is writer and critic Joe Queenan, who speaks simply but movingly of how the Beatles’ music helped dull the pain of an adolescence marred by paternal abuse.Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 6 Dec. 2024
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Among the college football games marred by violence last weekend was Michigan’s 13-10 win over Ohio State.George Ramsay, CNN, 5 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Dodge won't spoil the surprise by confirming if the last one will be based on the Charger or the Challenger (or maybe both), but the evidence suggests the latter is more likely.Jack Fitzgerald, Car and Driver, 13 Feb. 2023
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Farmers’ broiler chickens suffocate, and dairy products spoil.Monica Mark, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Feb. 2023
Verb
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In conducting the study, the team also developed a new technique to stain collagen fibers to analyze their impact on the skin’s mechanics.Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Dec. 2024
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This particular query came (stop it) during a recent interview with Variety where Daniel Craig asked if a shot of sheets stained with semen was kept in the final cut’s establishing scene.David Opie, IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Dexter’s first kill, initiated by the nurse poisoning Harry when he’s hospitalized after a heart attack, is intercut with Deb’s high school volleyball game.Alison Herman, Variety, 14 Dec. 2024
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Moscow’s disastrous war in Afghanistan in the 1980s poisoned its relations with the Muslim world, and even contributed to the collapse of the Soviet state.Fred Weir, The Christian Science Monitor, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
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Eclipse totality is the phase in which the moon completely covers the sun, which causes the sky to darken.Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 10 Dec. 2024
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If the spot has already darkened to a black stain, dip a toothbrush into a small amount of bleach and rub onto the stain.Jessica Bennett, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Dec. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tarnish
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
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