tarnish
verb (used with object)
to dull the luster of (a metallic surface), especially by oxidation; discolor.
had tarnished
-
past perfectof tarnish.past perfect
Used to express a completed action that took place before another specific past action occurred.
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.
The news was a blow to the bank's efforts in recent years to recover from a series of scandals that had tarnished its reputation.
From Barron's ● Jan. 29, 2026
These incidents embarrassed Koreans who felt Mr Yoon had tarnished their reputation overseas.
From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2024
“The defendant had tarnished the reputation of Islamic boarding schools.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2022
Major box office failures — including that of “They All Laughed” — had tarnished his reputation.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2022
Once it had been a rich gold colour, but many seasons of neglect had tarnished the gold to a freckled brown, which even the flowering creepers that should have cloaked it seemed to dislike.
From The Guests Of Hercules by M. Leone Bracker
