mar

[ mahr ]

verb (used with object),marred, mar·ring.

to damage or spoil to a certain extent; render less perfect, attractive, useful, etc.; impair or spoil: That billboard mars the view. The holiday was marred by bad weather.
to disfigure, deface, or scar: The scratch marred the table.

Origin of mar

First recorded before 900; Middle English merren, Old English merran “to hinder, waste”; cognate with Old Saxon merrian, Old High German merren “to hinder,” Old Norse merja “to bruise,” Gothic marzjan “to offend”

synonym study For mar

1, 2. Mar, deface, disfigure, deform agree in applying to some form of injury. Mar is general, but usually refers to an external or surface injury, if it is a physical one: The tabletop was marred by dents and scratches. Deface refers to a surface injury that may be temporary or easily repaired: a tablecloth defaced by penciled notations. Disfigure applies to external injury of a more permanent and serious kind: A birthmark disfigured one side of his face. Deform suggests that something has been distorted or internally injured so severely as to change its normal form or qualities, or else that some fault has interfered with its proper development: deformed by an accident that had crippled him; to deform feet by binding them.

Other words for mar

1, 2	flaw, injure; blot

See synonyms for mar on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for mar

1, 2	enhance, adorn

See antonyms for mar on Thesaurus.com

Other words from mar

un·mar·ring, adjective

Other definitions for mar. (2 of 4)

mar.

abbreviation

maritime.
married.

Other definitions for Mar. (3 of 4)

Mar.

abbreviation

March.

Other definitions for M.A.R. (4 of 4)

M.A.R.

abbreviation

Master of Arts in Religion.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mar in a sentence

But Khin mar Cho is pinning her hopes on the international community.
Junta Crackdown On Burmese Press | Joshua Carroll | July 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
A steel bracelet on my wrists reads CPL BRIAN L. CHEVALIER - 14 mar 2007 – DIYALA.
Memorial Days After Mourning Has Passed | Alex Horton | May 25, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Then came his turn as Ennis Del mar, the gay lovelorn cowboy in Brokeback Mountain, and the rest is history.
Rob Lowe: Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful | Tricia Romano | April 8, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Pujol was offering a choice of tasting menus that evening: mar (Surf) or Tierra (Turf).
Mexico City’s Magical Moment of Resurgence | Condé Nast Traveler | February 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The Savanna-La-mar Hurricane then moved onto Cuba, killing more than 1,000, in total.
Uncovering Jamaica’s Jewish Past | Debra A. Klein | December 1, 2013 | THE DAILY BEAST

Railroads are reckless Radicals and are destined by turns to make and to mar the fortunes of many great emporiums.
Glances at Europe | Horace Greeley
But the Earls of mar and Athol are collecting their forces, and some other nobles of the land are drawing to their party.'
King Robert the Bruce | A. F. Murison
A cigar should be handled daintily; it is a fragile, graceful creature—don't mar its beauty.
Tobacco; Its History, Varieties, Culture, Manufacture and Commerce | E. R. Billings.
One glaring color, or conspicuous article, would entirely mar the beauty of such a dress.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence Hartley
Collars or sleeves, pinned over or tightly strained to meet, will entirely mar the effect of the prettiest dress.
The Ladies' Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness | Florence Hartley

British Dictionary definitions for mar (1 of 2)

mar

/ (mɑː) /

verbmars, marring or marred

(tr) to cause harm to; spoil or impair

noun

a disfiguring mark; blemish

Origin of mar

Old English merran; compare Old Saxon merrian to hinder, Old Norse merja to bruise

Derived forms of mar

marrer, noun

British Dictionary definitions for Mar (2 of 2)

Mar

abbreviation for

March

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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