marred
Americanadjective
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damaged or spoiled to a certain extent; made less perfect, attractive, useful, etc..
We can all get preoccupied with the marred aspects of our character.
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disfigured or defaced, as by scratches, nicks, scars, or discoloration.
We love the marred table, actually, because it helps us remember the work, dirt, mess, and grit of life.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of marred
Explanation
If something is marred, it’s damaged due to a flaw. If the big football game on Sunday ends with a fight among fans of the opposing teams, commentators will say that the game was marred by violence. The word marred can be traced back to the Old English word merran, meaning “to waste or spoil.” Marred often carries with it the sense of spoiling perfection. It can be a flaw that makes something outstanding less than perfect, such as a movie star’s face marred by a scar or a career marred by controversy.
Vocabulary lists containing marred
"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary
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Beowulf vocabulary
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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Repeated Iranian attacks also marred an earlier truce in April, though none of the incidents provoked a return to all-out war.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
The public mourning has, however, been marred by the renewed hostilities with the US.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
But authorities will also want the event to go smoothly, deeply aware of the risk of crowd crushes, which have marred similar events in the past, with TV broadcasting guidelines on how to stay safe.
From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026
Authorities are deeply aware of the risk of crowd crushes, which have marred similar events in the past, with TV broadcasting guidelines on how to stay safe.
From Barron's ● Jul. 3, 2026
As much as they marred the horizon, she was certain it wasn’t an eruption.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
