tarnish
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
-
to grow dull or discolored; lose luster.
-
to become sullied.
noun
-
a tarnished coating.
-
tarnished condition; discoloration; alteration of the luster of a metal.
-
a stain or blemish.
verb
-
to lose or cause to lose the shine, esp by exposure to air or moisture resulting in surface oxidation; discolour
silver tarnishes quickly
-
to stain or become stained; taint or spoil
a fraud that tarnished his reputation
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
tarnishernoun
-
antitarnishadjective
-
antitarnishingadjective
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nontarnishableadjective
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nontarnishedadjective
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nontarnishingadjective
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tarnishableadjective
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untarnishableadjective
-
untarnishedadjective
-
untarnishingadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
tarnishsimple
-
tarnishessimple
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have tarnishedperfect
-
has tarnishedperfect
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am tarnishingprogressive
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are tarnishingprogressive
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is tarnishingprogressive
-
have been tarnishingperfect progressive
-
has been tarnishingperfect progressive
Past
-
tarnishedsimple
-
had tarnishedperfect
-
was tarnishingprogressive
-
were tarnishingprogressive
-
had been tarnishingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of tarnish
1590–1600; < Middle French terniss-, long stem of ternir to dull, deaden, derivative of terne dull, wan < Germanic; compare Old High German tarni, cognate with Old Saxon derni, Old English dierne hidden, obscure; see -ish 2
Explanation
To tarnish is to become dull or discolored. Silver tends to tarnish easily, which is why your mother is always having you polish the family silver. As a noun, a tarnish is the dull layer of corrosion that sometimes forms on metal items, usually the result of the metal reacting to oxygen in the air. Metals are most likely to tarnish, but so can anything that once felt sparkly and bright but has lost its luster — even you. If the new kid just beat you in chess, your reputation as the best chess player in your class has started to tarnish. Better not lose again!
Vocabulary lists containing tarnish
List 3
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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.
See Examples For:
"People have generally thought gold doesn't tarnish simply because it doesn't interact strongly with oxygen," said Matthew Montemore, associate professor in Chemical Engineering in Tulane's School of Science and Engineering.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
Would Glasner tarnish Palace legacy with move to new enemies Forest?
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
Cervantes further alleges that unknown parties within the Sacramento Police Department leaked news of her arrest to the press in a deliberate attempt to tarnish her reputation.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 7, 2026
While even reliable AI detectors can produce false results, researchers say a crop of fraudulent tools has emerged online, easily weaponized to discredit authentic content and tarnish reputations.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
At this point, Burnham believed, nothing could tarnish the fair’s triumph or his own place in architectural history.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
"Dubai was often talked about a bit like Switzerland, so this inevitably tarnishes that image."
From Barron's ● Mar. 1, 2026
“House of Diggs” is unsparing in its portrait of the corruption that tarnishes its subject’s memory.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2025
"It completely tarnishes his image," Liverpool fan Rory told BBC Sport.
From BBC ● Mar. 26, 2025
“The actions of this deputy are alarming and inexcusable; he not only tarnishes his badge but also undermines the integrity and credibility of the entire department,” said Sheriff Shannon Dicus in a statement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 5, 2024
The fair buildings were complete and all exhibits were in place, but just as surely as silver tarnishes, the fair became subject to the inevitable forces of degradation and decline—and tragedy.
From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson
Rubio, a sports lover more known for commentary on American football, said Belgium should be happy to play against a full US squad rather than have a tarnished match.
From Barron's ● Jul. 6, 2026
And once tarnished, a brand rarely fully recovers.
From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026
Then we get Ms. Morris’s marvelous painting of a solitary godwit in a suggestively tarnished sky.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026
Gates has said he travelled with Epstein on a private jet - one of those facts that have haunted many who have been tarnished by Epstein.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
A moldering blue rosette with tarnished print that read “Best Fat Stock, Fentress Fair, 1877.”
From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly
Now, researchers at Tulane University have uncovered an important reason why the precious metal remains so resistant to tarnishing.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 12, 2026
Caitlin Clark is tarnishing her legacy by constantly complaining about fouling, fighting with her coach and pushing backlash against media covering her.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 7, 2026
As early as 1859 the New York Times associated Cornelius Vanderbilt with the idea of the medieval robber baron, thus tarnishing the image of the country’s biggest shipowner.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 10, 2026
Subtle localization—without tarnishing the brands’ global image—has been central to recent success, analysts told Barron’s.
From Barron's ● Mar. 7, 2026
"Yes, if the rate of tarnishing doesn't increase."
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
