as in defects
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing
the expanding urban sprawl is a blight on the countryside
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of blights
Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Even a simple soaker hose is better than a sprinkler system that wets the foliage, which can make plants prone to blights and mildews.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026
The more kinds of plants, the more defenses to fend off the blights and insect infestations that ran unobstructed through landowners’ large mono-crop fields.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Noun
Yearning to light some tech on fire is a relatable feeling these days, as generative artificial intelligence promises to supplant nearly every form of non-physical labor, social media wreaks havoc on the mental health of young people, and massive data centers loom as environmental blights.
—Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026
Even a simple soaker hose is better than a sprinkler system that wets the foliage, which can make plants prone to blights and mildews.
—Marie Iannotti, The Spruce, 3 Mar. 2026
The more kinds of plants, the more defenses to fend off the blights and insect infestations that ran unobstructed through landowners’ large mono-crop fields.
—Literary Hub, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blights
Noun
-
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has initiated multiple investigations into possible safety defects with Tesla's FSD, after several collisions, including a fatal 2023 crash.—
Robert Ferris,Lora Kolodny,
CNBC,
25 Apr. 2026
-
She was born with multiple complex heart defects.—
Erin Jones,
CBS News,
21 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Our modern health framework, which views humans as collections of biochemical parts, has struggled to explain basic questions, like why stress harms us or how mental states shape physical health.—
Jasna Hodžić,
Big Think,
22 Apr. 2026
-
If a practice consistently harms minors, the state has a valid and urgent interest in stopping it.—
A.J. Russo,
Baltimore Sun,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Mary, meanwhile, walks away with visible scars, although the real healing was all internal.—
Patrick Ryan,
USA Today,
26 Apr. 2026
-
The Wild core has gotten more mature — hardened by scars from past playoffs.—
Joe Smith,
New York Times,
26 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Lead impairs cognition and cadmium harms the kidneys.—
Anton L. Delgado,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
About 6 million Americans had opioid use disorder — a problematic pattern of opioid use that significantly impairs or distresses a patient — as of 2022, according to the CDC.—
Amber Gaudet,
Charlotte Observer,
27 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Caleb Lomu’s selection deserves high marks for several reasons that start right there.—
Andrew Callahan,
Boston Herald,
25 Apr. 2026
-
And given all of the drama leading into the event, pretty good marks and a relatively boring draft add up to a win.—
Chad Graff,
New York Times,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
This storyline later appeared in the second season of Girls, as Dunham’s character Hannah is overwhelmed with the anxiety of writing a novel and similarly injures herself.—
Caitlin Huston,
HollywoodReporter,
14 Apr. 2026
-
In her desperation to ask Val for a job on the new sitcom, Sharon falls and injures herself.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Mercury damages the nervous system.—
Anton L. Delgado,
Los Angeles Times,
29 Apr. 2026
-
Antisemitism weakens trust, corrodes pluralism and damages the social fabric on which diverse communities depend.—
Laurence Milstein,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blights.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/blights. Accessed 2 May. 2026.
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