as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarnish
Eric Adams, now tarnished by petty corruption, probably owes his mayoralty to months of good press in the Post during his 2021 campaign.
—
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
His career was tarnished by a gambling scandal that led to a permanent ban on Aug. 23, 1989.
—Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
Rose and Jackson were infamous figures in MLB history, their legacies tarnished by gambling on the game.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2025
Levi’s doubles partner, Cooper Schwartz, was originally not going to play on Friday as a way to not tarnish his memory winning the Mission League title with Levi.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 5 May 2025
His career was tarnished by a gambling scandal that led to a permanent ban on Aug. 23, 1989.
—Jay Cohen, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025
Rose and Jackson were infamous figures in MLB history, their legacies tarnished by gambling on the game.
—Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 13 May 2025
Levi’s doubles partner, Cooper Schwartz, was originally not going to play on Friday as a way to not tarnish his memory winning the Mission League title with Levi.
—Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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About 26,500 of those who consume food tainted by salmonella are hospitalized.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
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The role of politics Accusations that human rights advocacy is tainted by domestic politics aren’t new.—
Simon Montlake,
Christian Science Monitor,
16 May 2025
Verb
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However, relatively decent growth fueled by Putin's record military spending has been marred by inflation and a worker shortage impacted by those fleeing the draft and troop losses in Ukraine as experts warn of longer terms problems for the economy.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
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Albania, which has started full membership negotiations with the European Union, has been plagued in its post-communist era with corruption that has marred its democratic, economic and social development.—
Llazar Semini,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 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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Then, once completed, pasting begins, where mud from the henna plant is placed atop the area to stain.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
22 May 2025
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Plus, the matte, two-tone color scheme helps resist staining, maintaining the spoons' stylish appeal over time.—
Toby Rose,
Parents,
22 May 2025
Verb
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As the film unfolds, Wilson finds out that Sterns, the movie's villain, has been the mastermind behind the entire plot and has been poisoning Ross with gamma rays via pills for years.—
Caroline Blair,
People.com,
28 May 2025
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Intermediately, because a member of Ethan’s team, Claire (Emmanuelle Béart) has poisoned Donloe, which results in Donloe having some pretty intense gastrointestinal reactions.—
Mike Ryan,
IndieWire,
27 May 2025
Verb
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Taking stock of the darkening afternoon sky from the rooftop of Netflix HQ in the Flatiron District, the actress was optimistic that the weather might delay her flight and give her extra time to unwind in the city.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
22 May 2025
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Orwell: 2 + 2 = 5 goes well beyond just the darkening reality in America.—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
17 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.
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