as in damaged
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1
as in marred
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
a single indiscretion blemished the rabbi's reputation for years
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in injured
to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of
a scratch blemished the finish on the car
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blemished
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Its blemished surface hints at its violent origin deep within the Earth's mantle.
—Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2025
That’s because pantries like Friendly Hands often receive offers from truck drivers to unload pallets of food, like blemished fruit rejected from grocery stores, but without a loading dock, pantries sometimes have to refuse or are unable to store the items.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2025
Until the world contains only liberal democracies, Washington can hardly avoid seeking blemished friends.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Throop returned to his hometown in 1990 to take stock of its blemished environment.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
More to the point, where does Ohio State belong when ranking an increasing list of blemished records?
—Nathan Baird, cleveland, 10 Oct. 2021
Ensuring that doesn't happen will require finding better ways to clean up blemished images — and that takes time and money.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 July 2020
But perhaps the bigger question is how someone with such a blemished resume got the job in the first place.
—Ramona Giwargis, The Mercury News, 5 May 2017
Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Reputational damage occurs when a business’s name is blemished in some manner.
—Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Adjective
Scarred and blemished grapefruits and blood oranges are falling off his trees, Schmidt told KSEE.
—Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 21 Jan. 2026
Its blemished surface hints at its violent origin deep within the Earth's mantle.
—Arkansas State Parks, Arkansas Online, 19 Aug. 2025
That’s because pantries like Friendly Hands often receive offers from truck drivers to unload pallets of food, like blemished fruit rejected from grocery stores, but without a loading dock, pantries sometimes have to refuse or are unable to store the items.
—Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 6 Aug. 2025
Until the world contains only liberal democracies, Washington can hardly avoid seeking blemished friends.
—Hal Brands, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024
Throop returned to his hometown in 1990 to take stock of its blemished environment.
—Steve Marble, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2022
More to the point, where does Ohio State belong when ranking an increasing list of blemished records?
—Nathan Baird, cleveland, 10 Oct. 2021
Ensuring that doesn't happen will require finding better ways to clean up blemished images — and that takes time and money.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 2 July 2020
But perhaps the bigger question is how someone with such a blemished resume got the job in the first place.
—Ramona Giwargis, The Mercury News, 5 May 2017
Verb
Shawnee’s local government, including the City Council, has been blemished by controversy for more than a decade.
—Pj Green
october 20, Kansas City Star, 20 Oct. 2025
Reputational damage occurs when a business’s name is blemished in some manner.
—Emily Reynolds, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blemished
Adjective
-
She was questioned in a legal fight between the camp operators and families of victims who have filed lawsuits and want the camp to preserve damaged areas as evidence.—
Matthew Ablon,
CBS News,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Its Peptide-132 Hair Bonding Oil is a lightweight fix that helps strengthen damaged bonds, smooth frizz, temporarily seal split ends, and add glossy shine—without weighing hair down.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The entire Mets lineup has been marred in an uncharacteristic slump, but in the bottom of the fourth inning on Tuesday night at Citi Field, Juan Soto uncorked a very characteristic home run.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
-
The move comes after the spring-break-reminiscent event has been marred by tragedy and lawlessness in previous years.—
Julia Bonavita,
FOXNews.com,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Kinahan escaped unscathed, but his friend David Byrne was killed in the attack, and McGovern was injured by gunfire.—
Ed Caesar,
New Yorker,
30 Apr. 2026
-
The United Nations' Human Rights Monitoring Mission in Ukraine said in a statement that March saw a 49% jump in civilian casualties versus February, with at least 211 killed and 1,206 injured across the course of the month.—
David Brennan,
ABC News,
30 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Holland revealed Fiala might have been ready to return from his broken leg if the Kings had advanced to the second round.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
The works depicted broken figures staggering toward the viewer in ragged uniforms — in distorted sizes, giant hand and small heads.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
1 May 2026
Verb
-
Court exhibit But that, too, Casteleiro argued, was tainted.—
Mary Murphy,
CBS News,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The airline has been one of the most successful startups in aviation history, but its rapid growth has been tainted by several accidents and questions about the reliability of its aged fleet.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
Amir-Hussein Radjy,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Apr. 2026
-
That has crippled Iran’s two biggest non-oil exports, and higher prices have affected everything from plastics to pipes, to fabrics and packaging for groceries like milk, butter and cheese.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
More and more Americans across the spectrum see Netanyahu’s Israel as a spoiled child, and they’re just fed up with it.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Other warning signs include a damaged or opened lid and an unusual or spoiled smell.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Look for bins that are not coated or stained with toxic finishes.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
30 Apr. 2026
-
On TikTok, short videos often show people traveling to Turkey to fix their uneven or stained teeth and transform their smiles.—
K.H. Koehler,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blemished.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blemished. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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