tarnish

verb
UK: /ˈtɑː.nɪʃ/
US: /ˈtɑːr.nɪʃ/

  1. To become dull or discolored; lose brightness.

    1. Silver tarnishes easily if it's not polished regularly.
    2. The silver teapot began to tarnish after being left out in the open air.

  2. To damage the good opinion someone has of you or something else.

    1. His reputation was tarnished by the scandal.
    2. The allegations of corruption have tarnished the company's image irreparably.

Synonyms

discoloration rust stain blemish damage degrade impair taint
tarnish noun

  1. The dullness or discoloration on the surface of a metal.

    1. There was tarnish on the old silver.
    2. She used a special cloth to remove the tarnish from the brass candlesticks.

  2. Damage to someone's reputation or image.

    1. The scandal left a tarnish on his career.
    2. The accusations cast a tarnish over the politician's previously spotless reputation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "tarnish" in English means: To become dull or discolored; lose brightness., To damage the good opinion someone has of you or something else..

The phonetic transcription of "tarnish" is /ˈtɑː.nɪʃ/ in British English and /ˈtɑːr.nɪʃ/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "tarnish": discoloration, rust, stain, blemish, damage, degrade, impair, taint.

Example usage of "tarnish": "Silver tarnishes easily if it's not polished regularly.". More examples on the page.