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.
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 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
Former Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta said Rubiales' behaviour had "tarnished the milestone" of the World Cup win and had made the story "dirty".
From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2023
“The defendant had tarnished the reputation of Islamic boarding schools.”
From Seattle Times ● Apr. 4, 2022
Publicity had not been able to change the substance of the precious metal of her soul, but it had tarnished it beyond all remedy.
From The Judge by Rebecca West
