taint
noun
a trace of something bad, offensive, or harmful.
tainting
-
present participleof taint.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
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.
Overturning Balogun’s red card has rankled even some American soccer fans, who see the intervention as tainting a U.S. run that had been gathering momentum.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
And so if “a court always carries out those waivers—no matter the kind or degree of error tainting a sentence—the judicial system’s integrity may come into question.”
From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2026
While none of the investigations target the president, Brazilians' weariness with corruption "ends up tainting those in power," Edinho Silva, head of the Workers' Party, lamented.
From Barron's ● Apr. 24, 2026
His independent streak and defiance of colonial protocols often landed him in trouble - tainting his reputation and perhaps even erasing parts of his contribution from global memory.
From BBC ● Apr. 18, 2025
My rage spills out of me, tainting every move.
From "An Ember in the Ashes" by Sabaa Tahir
