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
Secondly, gear like strollers, car seats, and playpens not only occupy a lot of space, metal parts can tarnish if subjected to humidity.
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Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2024
In new court documents obtained by PEOPLE on Wednesday, Oct. 9, Combs' legal team alleges that the government leaked the video to tarnish Combs' reputation.
—Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024
In Season 15, the women have their sights set on new institutions to tarnish: Nordstrom Rack and… birds?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 29 Sep. 2024
Notably, none of the incidents appear to have tarnished the company’s reputation or its continued growth.
—USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish 
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Sep. 2024
In new court documents obtained by PEOPLE on Wednesday, Oct. 9, Combs' legal team alleges that the government leaked the video to tarnish Combs' reputation.
—Charmaine Patterson, People.com, 10 Oct. 2024
In Season 15, the women have their sights set on new institutions to tarnish: Nordstrom Rack and… birds?
—Claire Franken, TVLine, 29 Sep. 2024
Notably, none of the incidents appear to have tarnished the company’s reputation or its continued growth.
—USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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However, the investigation also found that county contracting has been not been tainted by widespread fraud.Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 2 Nov. 2024
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Also avoid unpasteurized dairy and juices, as they may be tainted.Mustafa Fattah, NBC News, 24 Oct. 2024
Verb
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Bell's attempt to salvage his playoff hopes by overtaking Bubba Wallace was marred by Wallace's deceleration due to a potential tire issue.David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024
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Still, Moldovan officials are braced for a second round of voting marred by pro-Russian meddling.Christian Edwards, CNN, 2 Nov. 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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Sometimes, traffickers stain ivory to look like wood or coat it in chocolate to make it through inspections.Ashley Strickland, CNN, 2 Nov. 2024
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A number of the belongings appeared to be stained with blood.Tim Madigan, Smithsonian Magazine, 22 Oct. 2024
Verb
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And subsequent research has suggested most of those who were poisoned had been drinking this bootleg alcohol for pleasure or escape, not protection from COVID-19.ByKai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 31 Oct. 2024
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The salty water slowly poisons living trees, leaving a haunted ghost forest of dead and dying timber.Doyle Rice, USA TODAY, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
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The experience of being a Black foreigner in a country governed by its racial gradients darkened his view of Kenya.Alexis Okeowo, The New Yorker, 30 Oct. 2024
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If artificial intelligence could be used to brighten a person’s mood, it could probably be used for darkening a person’s personality, too.Lizz Schumer, People.com, 29 Oct. 2024
Thesaurus Entries Near tarnish
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
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