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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Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarnish
Nevertheless, Zelensky said that the achievement impressed countries in Asia, South America and Africa, and tarnished Russia’s military reputation.
—
Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Tommy Richman How dare someone tarnish the normally humble and modest event that is a debutante ball with their desire to take pictures.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually, your bitterness about prioritizing other people will bubble over, tarnishing your relationships and happiness.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 1 Jan. 2025
Some users speculated that the rhetoric would tarnish Musk’s image among Trump’s base.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish 
Illia Novikov, Los Angeles Times, 3 Jan. 2025
Tommy Richman How dare someone tarnish the normally humble and modest event that is a debutante ball with their desire to take pictures.
—Kate Lindsay, Vulture, 2 Jan. 2025
Eventually, your bitterness about prioritizing other people will bubble over, tarnishing your relationships and happiness.
—Angela Haupt, TIME, 1 Jan. 2025
Some users speculated that the rhetoric would tarnish Musk’s image among Trump’s base.
—Brady Knox, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 27 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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Trump's legal team has repeatedly accused her of impropriety and cast the indictment against him as tainted because of the relationship, which Willis publicly acknowledged.—
April Rubin,
Axios,
9 Jan. 2025
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The judge also pushed back on Trump’s claim that the verdict should be set aside because the jury was tainted.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
3 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, 2017 first-round pick Malik Hooker’s time in Indianapolis was marred by a season-ending knee and Achilles injuries leading the team to decline the safety’s fifth-year option.—
James Boyd,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Employers stuck the landing in 2024, finishing the year with a bounce of hiring after a summer slowdown and an autumn marred by disruption.—
Lydia DePillis,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
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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The clay could have been put onto the bone directly, or the bone could have been held in a cloth already stained with red ochre.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
8 Jan. 2025
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The assault permanently stained Yarrow's reputation, particularly in the #MeToo era, as he was regularly disinvited from events once his name became known as a performing guest.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC News,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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These operations are often controlled by cartels and poison the surrounding natural environment with toxic chemicals.—
Yaakov Katz,
Newsweek,
16 Jan. 2025
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In 2015, the Tribune reported on a broader phenomenon of lead poisoning plaguing children living in some of the poorest Chicago neighborhoods.—
Lizzie Kane,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The point is to strip away contaminants (like pesticides or trace metals) as well as other compounds that make the oil prone to going rancid, give it a harsh taste or smell, or darken its color.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
13 Jan. 2025
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Silver can also stimulate the production of the pigment melanin, causing darkening.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
10 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near tarnish
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
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