TARNISHING Synonyms: 75 Similar and Opposite Words

tarnishing 1 of 2

noun

as in contamination

Related Words

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Dissimilar Words

tarnishing

2 of 2

verb

present participle of tarnish

as in marring

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 tarnishing

Noun

It’s made of 10K gold, so any tarnishing that happens down the line can likely be cleaned or polished away. — Olivia Dubyak, PEOPLE, 25 Apr. 2026 Make sure to hand-wash any copper items or other precious metals to keep their shine and luster intact and avoid discoloration or tarnishing. — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 17 Feb. 2026 According to Jacqueline Kim, the account director at consulting firm DEH Jewelry Solutions, tarnishing occurs primarily due to chemical reactions between metals and elements in the environment, such as oxygen. — Shelby Ying Hyde, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Apr. 2024

Verb

Streaks from satellites are already tarnishing observations by telescopes both on Earth and in space. — Jonathan O'Callaghan, Scientific American, 18 Aug. 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 Crafted from stainless steel with a durable 14-karat gold PVD coating that's up to 10 times stronger than traditional plating, these pieces are designed to resist water, sweat, lotions and everyday wear without tarnishing or turning your skin green. — ABC News, 13 July 2026 These are formulated to restore chrome’s mirrorlike finish without tarnishing or damaging the plating. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 16 June 2026 Bambaataa denied the allegations in a statement that invoked a sense of conspiracy, and suggested that the accusers were agents intent on tarnishing his reputation. — Doreen St. Félix, New Yorker, 25 Apr. 2026 The Tate necklace has a stack of three chains, including a tennis, hera, and bezel-set, and is designed with a stainless steel protective coating that’s water-resistant, so it’s protected against tarnishing. — Nicol Natale, PEOPLE, 17 Apr. 2026 After the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, athletes raised concerns that their awards, which famously included pieces of the Eiffel Tower, were tarnishing and corroding after the games. — Juliana Kim, NPR, 12 Feb. 2026 Simply putting a protective barrier like a regular cloth between your silver and the outside world wouldn’t be enough to stop tarnishing. — Elliott Harrell, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for tarnishing

Noun

About 15 percent of a subset of the products tested contained measurable levels of endotoxin, a sign of bacterial contamination during manufacture.

— Lori Youmshajekian, Scientific American, 1 Sep. 2026
The researchers hope that in the future it will be used to identify counterfeit perfumes, detect pesticide contamination in olive oil, and offer better quality control across agriculture in general.

— Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of contamination

Verb

To prevent a similar war from happening again, Menelaus scarred her face, permanently marring her famous beauty.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 18 July 2026
Lined with live oaks and old-fashioned, busy storefronts, this artsy town on the Gulf of Mexico has no commercial development marring its shoreline.

— Valerie Fraser Luesse, Southern Living, 16 June 2026

Definition of marring

Noun

Projects would also face limits on air pollution and requirements related to clean backup power, green building standards and worker protections.

— Naomi Taxay, Sacbee.com, 29 Aug. 2026
The Stickney Village Board passed a six-month moratorium on data centers, since concerns have been raised over their energy and water usage, and noise and air pollution.

— Robert McCoppin, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of pollution

Verb

Several homeowners near Meta’s massive Newton County data center have filed a lawsuit accusing the tech company and others of tainting their water and destroying their rural way of life.

— Zachary Hansen, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
For all intents and purposes, an unknown actor can wade unburdened into the depths of Bond, able to transform without a viewer’s prior expectation tainting the image of 007.

— Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 10 July 2026

Definition of tainting

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
The burning of fossil fuels is poisoning the air our kids breathe and endangering their present and future by overheating our planet.

— Catarina Rolfsdotter-Jansson, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of poisoning

Verb

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
During a total eclipse, the moon completely covers the face of the sun, darkening the sky and revealing just the sun’s outer atmosphere called the corona.

— Devika Rao, TheWeek, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of darkening

Verb

Foods like tomato sauce and chocolate can cause staining if they aren’t wiped up right away.

— Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 28 Aug. 2026
Her hobbies include quilting, gardening and refurbishing furniture with Bill, with Hiers often adding the finishing touches by staining and painting their projects.

— Doris Alvarez Cea, Florida Times-Union, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of staining

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tarnishes

tarnishing

tarns

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“Tarnishing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tarnishing. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of tarnishing

noun

verb

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