tarnish
Americanverb (used with object)
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tarnishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tarnished,
past participle, past
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tarnishing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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tarnishes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
tarnished,
past participle, past
-
tarnishing
present participle
-
to grow dull or discolored; lose luster.
-
to become sullied.
noun
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a tarnished coating.
-
tarnished condition; discoloration; alteration of the luster of a metal.
-
a stain or blemish.
verb
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to lose or cause to lose the shine, esp by exposure to air or moisture resulting in surface oxidation; discolour
silver tarnishes quickly
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to stain or become stained; taint or spoil
a fraud that tarnished his reputation
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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tarnishernoun
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antitarnishadjective
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antitarnishingadjective
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nontarnishableadjective
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nontarnishedadjective
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nontarnishingadjective
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tarnishableadjective
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untarnishableadjective
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untarnishedadjective
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untarnishingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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tarnishsimple
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tarnishessimple
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have tarnishedperfect
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has tarnishedperfect
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am tarnishingprogressive
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are tarnishingprogressive
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is tarnishingprogressive
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have been tarnishingperfect progressive
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has been tarnishingperfect progressive
Past
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tarnishedsimple
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had tarnishedperfect
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was tarnishingprogressive
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were tarnishingprogressive
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had been tarnishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tarnish
1590–1600; < Middle French terniss-, long stem of ternir to dull, deaden, derivative of terne dull, wan < Germanic; compare Old High German tarni, cognate with Old Saxon derni, Old English dierne hidden, obscure; see -ish 2
Explanation
To tarnish is to become dull or discolored. Silver tends to tarnish easily, which is why your mother is always having you polish the family silver. As a noun, a tarnish is the dull layer of corrosion that sometimes forms on metal items, usually the result of the metal reacting to oxygen in the air. Metals are most likely to tarnish, but so can anything that once felt sparkly and bright but has lost its luster — even you. If the new kid just beat you in chess, your reputation as the best chess player in your class has started to tarnish. Better not lose again!
Vocabulary lists containing tarnish
List 3
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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.
See Examples For:
False charges of AI cheating can tarnish academic records or upend career prospects of students.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
Yet any tarnish to the U.S.’s standing could be fleeting.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 6, 2026
Her comments led to a huge outrage and Twisha's father said it was an attempt to tarnish his daughter's name.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026
CBS News, historically cautious about any endeavors that could tarnish its legacy as a journalism organization, was the last of the traditional networks to get into e-commerce in 2022 after COVID-19 lockdowns depressed ad revenues.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026
Although Owen was allowed to keep the Royal Medal, the episode left a permanent tarnish on his reputation, even among his few remaining supporters.
From "A Short History of Nearly Everything" by Bill Bryson
"Dubai was often talked about a bit like Switzerland, so this inevitably tarnishes that image."
From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026
“House of Diggs” is unsparing in its portrait of the corruption that tarnishes its subject’s memory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
"It completely tarnishes his image," Liverpool fan Rory told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2025
“The actions of this deputy are alarming and inexcusable; he not only tarnishes his badge but also undermines the integrity and credibility of the entire department,” said Sheriff Shannon Dicus in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
The fair buildings were complete and all exhibits were in place, but just as surely as silver tarnishes, the fair became subject to the inevitable forces of degradation and decline—and tragedy.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
About 30,000 saw South Korea beat Japan 1-0 to clinch men's football gold, although the occasion was tarnished somewhat when the South Korean flag failed to go up in the victory ceremony.
From Barron's ● Oct. 4, 2026
It is a significant punishment, underlining how annoyed Fifa are at having their showpiece occasion, broadcast to an estimated 1.5bn people globally, tarnished by such awful scenes.
From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026
I asked him if he’d seen the post Eatherly had made prior to the shooting about how his child’s mother wants to change her son’s surname because of how Chud had tarnished it.
From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026
The financial crisis tarnished the Fed’s reputation, not just Greenspan’s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 2026
Becky came out carrying a tarnished silver teapot and a stack of china cups and plates.
From "Chains" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Now, researchers at Tulane University have uncovered an important reason why the precious metal remains so resistant to tarnishing.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
As early as 1859 the New York Times associated Cornelius Vanderbilt with the idea of the medieval robber baron, thus tarnishing the image of the country’s biggest shipowner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
Subtle localization—without tarnishing the brands’ global image—has been central to recent success, analysts told Barron’s.
From Barron's ● Mar. 7, 2026
Yet before the ink on the agreement had dried Angel City was already tarnishing what it should have been cheering.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2025
"It's the cooling vanes. They aren't radiating heat as well as they used to. They're tarnishing."
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
