TARNISH Synonyms: 57 Similar and Opposite Words

tarnish

verb

ˈtär-nish

Definition of tarnish

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable a false accusation that nonetheless tarnished her reputation

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of tarnish Democratic leaders fear that the outlier opinions favoring police defunding may again tarnish the party's brand and sink its chances of gaining ground in Congress, governor's mansions and statehouses nationwide. — ABC News, 31 July 2026 Democratic leaders fear that the outlier opinions favoring police defunding may again tarnish the party’s brand and sink its chances of gaining ground in Congress, governor’s mansions and statehouses nationwide. — Matt Brown, Fortune, 31 July 2026 The Michigan brand is built out of titanium, but even titanium can tarnish. — Austin Meek, New York Times, 31 July 2026 Williams, who had filed counterclaims against Baumgarten for allegedly making false and defamatory statements about her and tarnishing her reputation, also voluntarily dismissed her suit at the same time. — Catherine Muccigrosso july 24, Charlotte Observer, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for tarnish

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnish

Verb

But Reese and her Dream teammates tainted the historic night during the final 20 seconds.

— Dan Zaksheske OutKick, FOXNews.com, 25 Aug. 2026
In July, the US was hit with a wave of explosive diarrhea caused by an outbreak of cyclospora, a parasite that spreads through food and water tainted with human feces.

— Maggie Harrison Dupré, Futurism, 20 Aug. 2026

Definition of taint

Verb

See affected product Symptoms of salmonella poisoning Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start six hours to six days after ingesting the bacteria.

— Julia Gomez, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2026
Glutathione is processed in sterile compounding pharmacies, and there have been cases of people getting poisoned due to contamination at these facilities, Sack said.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026

Definition of poison

Verb

However, they can be ordered with Transitions lenses that darken outdoors and clear up inside.

— Scott Kramer, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
The title references Black Like Me, white journalist John Howard Griffin’s 1961 nonfiction book about darkening his skin to pass for Black in the Jim Crow South.

— Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of darken

Browse Nearby Words

tarn

tarnish

tarnished

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Tarnish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnish. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of tarnish

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on tarnish

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

conscientious

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Popular in Wordplay

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Games & Quizzes