as in stains
a mark of guilt or disgrace
that rare political campaign that wasn't marred by the taint of false accusations
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in spoils
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
criticism of her sister's singing that was tainted by envy a tendency toward conceitedness taints the athlete's status as a role model
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pollutes
to make unfit for use by the addition of something harmful or undesirable
smog has long tainted the air of the city, making it difficult to breathe
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of taints
Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Verb
The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.
—Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 29 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for taints
Noun
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For very stubborn food stains, Booth has had success with Scrub Daddy PowerPaste.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
-
Garments with significant wear, damage and heavy stains, and all intimates are directed to end-of-use streams, including recycling, downcycling and responsible disposal.—
Lisa Lockwood,
Footwear News,
23 Oct. 2025
Verb
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That’s the kind of failing grade that ends drives and spoils red zone trips.—
Pete Sampson,
New York Times,
17 Oct. 2025
-
Frozen Shrimp Shellfish, like shrimp, spoils quickly, which is why many people prefer to purchase frozen shrimp.—
Jillian Kubala,
Health,
8 Oct. 2025
Verb
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But to isolate gold, galamsey workers typically use poisonous mercury, which pollutes drinking water and farmland and has been linked to serious illness and birth defects.—
Charlie Campbell,
Time,
15 Oct. 2025
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Debris pollutes waterways, cooking fires may spread, and the District Attorney’s Office has repeatedly documented how homeless residents are more likely to be victims of crime.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
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Valuing a project at cost of production rather than value in an arm’s length sale—common in all economic statistics—especially mars Chinese data.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Noun
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As a source of livelihood, Resh Lakish raised crocus plants for saffron, harvesting their flowers’ stigmas that constitute the spice.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
25 Oct. 2025
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Since its inception in 1998, the Festival Iberoamericano de Cultura Musical, better known as Vive Latino, has had a rebellious personality that has challenged stigmas.—
Natalia Cano,
Billboard,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Today, as a government shutdown darkens our national museums and the National Endowment for the Humanities is gutted, the danger is no longer a matter of rhetoric but of radical, systemic action.—
Andrew Weinstein,
Time,
24 Oct. 2025
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The tree produces an annual fall harvest of walnuts, enclosed in a green husk that darkens when ripe.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
9 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Unlike the forefoot that touches the ground only with its hooves, the hind feet have a fleshy heel pad behind the hooves.—
Abhishek Bhardwaj,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Oct. 2025
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This question touches the very heart of the film.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
24 Oct. 2025
Verb
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This tarnishes my view of Dean.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
7 Aug. 2025
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Ana Luisa Tired of budget-friendly jewelry that tarnishes after just a few wears?—
Lauren Alexis Fisher,
Footwear News,
3 Sep. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Taints.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/taints. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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