Synonyms

marred

American

[mahrd] / mɑrd /

adjective

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.
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

the simple past tense and past participle of mar.

Other Word Forms

unmarred adjective

Etymology

Origin of marred

mar ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

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.

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Vocabulary lists containing marred

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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.

However, the inaugural event was marred by a triple-digit heat wave and was a financial disaster.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

One of the greatest gangster films of all time was nearly marred by tragedy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

Ugly scenes marred the aftermath of Celtic's Scottish Cup quarter-final win on penalties at Ibrox, with spectators entering the pitch.

From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026

The express business was marred by lower shipment volumes to the U.S. last year due to higher tariffs and the elimination of the de minimis rule that exempted small-value items from taxes and duties.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

He looked down to where beads of sweat marred the perfect camouflage of his skin.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023