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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tarnish
The cases allege that the AI models also risk tarnishing reporters’ reputations by sometimes misstating their reporting or attributing it to others.
—
Josephine Stratman, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025
Many teenagers interviewed by The New York Times on Paradise Island — as well as those who had traveled there previously — did not want their names or even the names of their schools used, to avoid tarnishing reputations.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Solovyov expressed outrage over his brief stint with the battalion, suggesting this tarnished its reputation.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
The brewery, whose brand was tarnished over allegations of toxic workplace conditions in 2021, has locations in Fishtown and Mt. Airy.
—Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Josephine Stratman, Denver Post, 26 Mar. 2025
Many teenagers interviewed by The New York Times on Paradise Island — as well as those who had traveled there previously — did not want their names or even the names of their schools used, to avoid tarnishing reputations.
—Dionne Searcey, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Solovyov expressed outrage over his brief stint with the battalion, suggesting this tarnished its reputation.
—Kevin Sabet, Newsweek, 24 Mar. 2025
The brewery, whose brand was tarnished over allegations of toxic workplace conditions in 2021, has locations in Fishtown and Mt. Airy.
—Isaac Avilucea, Axios, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for tarnish
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish
Verb
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Apologies to the late John Lennon, but that song has been tainted for many. Need a break?—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
7 Apr. 2025
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The river is tainted with harmful toxins from industrial waste, trash and untreated sewage.—
Kimberly Dickson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 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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Indeed, Delaney’s personal life has been marred by what appears to be a pretty entrenched drinking problem, which has affected her career and led to very un-Diane Russell-like brushes with the law, the Daily Mail and other outlets have reported.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 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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If Bonhoeffer’s example is used to justify more far-right Christian violence in America, that would be another tragedy — and a cruel irony that would stain the legacy of a man who gave up everything to confront a tyrant.—
John Blake,
CNN Money,
13 Apr. 2025
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Pérez's manager, Enrique Paulino, spoke to reporters at the scene, his shirt stained with blood.—
Gordon G. Chang,
MSNBC Newsweek,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Until Henry momentarily excuses himself from the table, that is, and the person or persons behind these winky-wink messages tell her to poison Henry ASAP or the menacing guy currently hiding in her apartment will kill her boy.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
10 Apr. 2025
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Calls to poison control centers for pediatric melatonin ingestion increased 530 percent between 2012 and 2021, according to one analysis published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
8 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The spring sky darkened over the parking lot of the Swannanoa Ingles.—
Sara Murphy,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Apr. 2025
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Keeping the Trump tax cuts in place would significantly darken the country’s fiscal outlook.—
Andrew Duehren,
New York Times,
6 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 24 Apr. 2025.
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