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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing marred

"The Great Gatsby," Chapter 1 Vocabulary

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50 Great Words from The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon

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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.

Venezi's appointment had been marred in controversy since it was announced last September.

From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026

Despite the strong start to the year, South Korea’s outlook is increasingly marred by the fallout from the Middle East conflict.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 22, 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

Jefferies Financial Group stock was falling ahead of the open Thursday after bad private credit bets marred its first-quarter earnings.

From Barron's • Mar. 26, 2026

I remember one thing that marred this time for me: the movie “Gone with the Wind.”

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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