as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the first mirror had a blemish on its surface, so we took it back to the store
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to mar
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a single indiscretion blemished the rabbi's reputation for years
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to damage
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
a scratch blemished the finish on the car
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blemish
Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
The Cougars are back for another run after winning 26 of their last 27 games, the only blemish in that stretch an overtime loss to Texas Tech, which is a No. 3 seed in the West.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
That huge carbon footprint blemishes the reputations of global tech firms such as Google and Apple, which are pressuring suppliers to set high bars for their own environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for blemish
Noun
The president’s process of souring on subordinates is often a slow burn, which can be affected by media coverage and where blemishes gather their own momentum and limit the shelf life of top aides.
—Cnn.com Wire Service, Mercury News, 27 Mar. 2025
The Cougars are back for another run after winning 26 of their last 27 games, the only blemish in that stretch an overtime loss to Texas Tech, which is a No. 3 seed in the West.
—Jack Magruder, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025
Verb
Denver looked set to blemish the Chiefs’ undefeated campaign, until Wil Lutz’s 35-yarder was stuffed at the line.
—Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 8 Jan. 2025
That huge carbon footprint blemishes the reputations of global tech firms such as Google and Apple, which are pressuring suppliers to set high bars for their own environmental, social, and governance (ESG) programs.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2024
See All Example Sentences for blemish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blemish
Noun
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Doctors later discovered that Figari’s stroke was caused by a previously undetected congenital heart defect called a patent foramen ovale (PFO), in which a hole between the left and right chambers of the heart is left open as opposed to closing after birth, according to Penn Medicine.—
Vanessa Etienne,
People.com,
15 Apr. 2025
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With the help of this technology, defects were significantly reduced.—
Michael Amori,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The dashboard was part of an extended pressure campaign from Buttigieg, who, during his tenure in the Biden administration, publicly challenged the major carriers to improve service and transparency—particularly after a summer marred by cancellations and flight delays.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
8 Apr. 2025
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What to Know Artists like Bruce Springsteen and Taylor Swift have previously clashed with ticketing platforms, with Swift's 2022 tour marred by widespread ticket access issues.—
Josh Hammer,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Their son and daughter-in-law, Cameron Bott, 35, and his wife, Diana, 36, whose nearby home was damaged in the tornado, initiated a discussion about starting a GoFundMe to offset potential insurance shortfalls in rebuilding the gas station.—
Tammy Ljungblad,
Kansas City Star,
9 Apr. 2025
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In addition, these same poisons can damage a cell’s DNA which can allow that cell to grow out of control and cause cancer.—
Omer Awan,
Forbes.com,
8 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The fish have white faces with a black blotch in front of the eyes, according to the study.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
4 Apr. 2025
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Dark brown blotches with black edges dot its back, sometimes joining together to form bands.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2025
Verb
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In its letter, the committee said that Albanese’s rhetoric tainted both the U.N. as an institution and her own position.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Cena's victory, following Mysterio's earlier match, tainted Mysterio's win and shifted focus to Cena's confrontation with the returning CM Punk, overshadowing Mysterio's moment.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Huge, especially as his fellow defenders Conor Bradley and Joe Gomez are also out injured.—
Gregg Evans,
The Athletic,
16 Mar. 2025
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At least 59 people have died and more than 100 others were injured in a fire at a nightclub.—
Escher Walcott,
People.com,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Countless Black women, like Justice, live with the long-term mental and physical scars of pregnancy and birth.—
Essence,
Essence,
14 Apr. 2025
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The 44-year-old actress and breast cancer survivor opened up about her scars being visible during intimate scenes, while promoting their new Apple TV+ drama series Your Friends and Neighbors.—
Angel Saunders,
People.com,
12 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Its players are turncoats whose legacies are forever stained.—
Greg Cote,
Miami Herald,
6 Apr. 2025
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Be careful and don’t use it every wash because these products can stain your hair with a pink or lavender tint.—
Jennifer Hussein,
Allure,
4 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Blemish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemish. Accessed 20 Apr. 2025.
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