blemish

1 of 2

verb

blem·​ish ˈble-mish How to pronounce blemish (audio)
blemished; blemishing; blemishes

transitive verb

: to spoil by a flaw

blemish

2 of 2

noun

: a noticeable imperfection
especially : one that seriously impairs appearance

Examples of blemish in a Sentence

Verb A series of burn marks blemish the table's surface. The incident blemished his reputation. Noun The cream is supposed to prevent blemishes on the skin. The table had a few scratches and minor blemishes. The book fails to mention any of the organization's many blemishes. The incident was a blemish on his record.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
And, especially in recent decades, the spectacle has been blemished by budget overruns, long-term debts, wasteful infrastructure, displacement and gentrification, political strife and environmental harm. Alicia Wallace, CNN, 26 July 2024 Not even the loss of Kyle Bradish could blemish their sheen. Childs Walker, Baltimore Sun, 28 June 2024
Noun
Broken ice cream machines have been such a blemish on McDonald’s reputation that even competitors mock them for it. Jordan Valinsky, CNN, 28 Oct. 2024 Any loss is bad in the NFL, but some reveal a team’s blemishes more than others. Jay Paris, Forbes, 22 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for blemish 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English blemisshen, to damage, injure, sully, from Anglo-French blemiss-, stem of blemir, blesmir, from Old French, literally, to make pale by wounding, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German blasros horse with a blaze, Old Norse blesi blaze — more at blaze

First Known Use

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1535, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blemish was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near blemish

Cite this Entry

“Blemish.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blemish. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

blemish

noun
blem·​ish
ˈblem-ish
: a mark that makes something imperfect
blemish verb

Medical Definition

blemish

noun
blem·​ish ˈblem-ish How to pronounce blemish (audio)
: a mark of physical deformity or injury: as
a
: any small mark on the skin (as a pimple or birthmark)
blemishes symptomatic of acne
b
: a defect of an animal (as a horse) that detracts from its appearance but does not interfere with its usefulness

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