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. )

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

It is now 20 years since the term "phone-hacking" entered the public consciousness, and 15 years since the News of the World closed - a tabloid marred by the scandal.

From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026

In the heart of Sao Paulo, a "prisonometer" keeps a live tally of people jailed due to Latin America's largest AI facial-recognition system, but its successes have been marred by mistaken arrests.

From Barron's • Mar. 17, 2026

Even copies of years-old news articles are marred with superfluous redactions.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

Will their beauty always be marred by memories of Mobius?

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

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