as in contamination
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as in marring
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 tarnishing
Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 25 Nov. 2025
This leather case has four necklace hooks with pockets for storing chains, six holes for earrings, and a faux suede interior that’s treated to prevent tarnishing.
—Jacqueline Tempera, PEOPLE, 17 Nov. 2025
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Watson stirred controversy late in life, tarnishing his reputation as a scientist in a series of racist remarks.
—Christina Zdanowicz, CNN Money, 7 Nov. 2025
Internal rivalries, particularly between his sister and his chief adviser, spilled into public view, tarnishing the administration’s image.
—María Victoria Murillo, Foreign Affairs, 7 Nov. 2025
Another user shared their thoughts about the OP tarnishing her relationship with her dad to protect her children.
—Kayla Grant, PEOPLE, 27 Oct. 2025
His arrest and subsequent trial blew it over like a house of cards, though, tarnishing Combs' reputation with claims of domestic abuse, intimidation and rampant drug use.
—Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 2 Oct. 2025
There’s new leadership, new investors, and new games this time around, all in an effort to revive the brand without tarnishing its legacy.
—David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
The decision has vexed supporters of the program and of journalism in general, who charged Paramount executives risked tarnishing a media brand that has long sought to hold power to account and to probe events with an independent lens.
—Brian Steinberg, Variety, 21 Aug. 2025
The tourism hub is lined with hotels, restaurants, shops and entertainment spots, but the council says lewd messages sprawled across the backsides of storefront mannequins and tongue-in-cheek T-shirts are tarnishing the area’s wholesome image.
—Michael Dorgan, FOXNews.com, 14 Aug. 2025
Noun
This will slow down the tarnishing that occurs from air exposure.
—Verb
Regular use can help delay tarnishing.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnishing
Noun
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Such weapons are considered ideal tools for terrorism, designed to cause fear, disruption, and long-term contamination rather than mass destruction.—
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To avoid contamination, team members had their DNA genotyped so their own sequences could be identified and removed from the samples.—
Verb
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Including playoffs, Mayfield turned the ball over more than anyone else from 2023 through 2024, marring an otherwise fantastic two seasons in Tampa Bay.—
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An optional front rack on both models adds instant utility without marring the retro-fantastic looks.—
Verb
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Judges typically allow for questioning of prospective jurors who may have a bias separately from the larger pool of jurors to avoid tainting others.—
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And there's also issues of tainting the jury pool.—
Noun
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The state’s latest energy plan fails to recognize and remedy this and portends a bleak, costly energy future, not to mention more pollution and higher health care costs.—
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Climate change has made habitat-restoration efforts more challenging, as have pollution from pesticides and even toxic tire dust.—
Verb
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Butter crocks are designed with an air-tight seal and a separate space to store water at the bottom that prevents air from reaching the butter, which can lead to spoiling.—
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There is also a fear in Cuba that the developments in Venezuela could cause a deterioration of the quality of life because of power issues, including with spoiling food, trash and mosquitoes.—
Verb
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In one case, in the year before Makandal’s death, a servant in Saint-Domingue named Médor was arrested for poisoning his enslaver to obtain his freedom.—
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In a recent study, however, researchers at Yale found that interoception helped mice avoid poisoning themselves.—
Verb
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Our planet is darkening too, as Earth's reflectivity, or albedo, is dropping to near-record lows due to melting ice and reduced snow cover that expose darker surfaces that absorb even more heat.—
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Farther up, on Observatory Hill, tall cryptomeria trees were silhouetted in the darkening evening, and down in the valleys, lights winked on like reflections of the planets and stars appearing in the sky.—
Verb
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Holevich adds that cleaning these surfaces promptly will help prevent long-term staining and lingering odors.—
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Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren't wiped up right away.—
Cite this Entry
“Tarnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnishing. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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