Tarnished
/ˈtɑːrnɪʃt/
adjectiveverbB2past tense, past participle
Definition
Tarnished means that something, like metal, has become dull or dirty and lost its bright shine. It can also mean that someone's good name or reputation has been damaged or made worse by bad actions or events. It shows a loss of brightness or respect.
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See It in Action
Metal or surface losing shine or becoming dull
- •The silver necklace was tarnished after years without cleaning.
- •The old coins looked tarnished but still had value.
- •His watch face was tarnished by scratches and dirt.
Reputation or character becoming less respected or damaged
- •The politician's reputation was tarnished after the scandal.
- •Her good name was tarnished by false rumors.
- •The company's image was tarnished by poor customer service.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "tarnished" like "dirty," but not just on the surface—it's a lasting dullness or damage that changes how something looks or feels
- ✓Picture a silver spoon that was shiny but now looks dark and not bright because of a thin layer of dirt or rust
- ✓It's the feeling when you hear bad news about someone you admired, and your opinion of them changes
- ✓Sounds like "TARN-ished" → imagine a "tarn" (a small mountain lake) covered with dirty water, no longer clear or bright
- ✓Think of a medal that was once shiny but now looks old and less valuable because it is tarnished
- ✓NOT like "clean" (bright and new), "tarnished" means the opposite: dull and damaged
- ✓NOT like "broken" (physically damaged), "tarnished" means the surface or reputation is affected, not the structure
- ✓NOT like "stained" (usually a mark), "tarnished" covers a wider area and shows loss of shine or respect
Try Other Words
- •Stained: marked or discolored (Use when the damage is a visible spot or mark, not general dullness)
- •Damaged: harmed or broken (Use when the object or reputation is physically or seriously harmed, not just less shiny)
- •Dull: not bright or shiny (Use when describing loss of brightness without implying damage)
- •Spoiled: ruined or made bad (Use more for food or situations, but sometimes for reputation)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "tarnish" (verb) + "-ed" (past tense suffix)
- •Etymology: From Old French "tarnir," meaning to make dark or dull, from Latin "tardus" meaning slow or late (possibly linked to losing brightness slowly)
- •Historical development: Used since the 15th century to describe metal losing brightness; later used metaphorically for reputation
- •Modern usage: Common in describing metals like silver or copper losing shine and in talking about damaged reputations or images
- •Key insight: "Tarnished" always involves a loss of brightness or respect, often slow and visible
Reflect & Connect
•How can a person's actions cause their reputation to become tarnished, and can it be cleaned or fixed like metal?
•Can something be tarnished without anyone noticing? What does this tell us about hidden problems?
Fill in the blanks
1.The silver ring was tarnished because it was left ___ in the air for a long time.
2.When a leader is tarnished by scandal, people often ___ their trust in them.
3.Tarnished metal looks ___ and less valuable than shiny metal.
4.She tried to clean the tarnished silver, but the ___ layer was hard to remove.
5.Unlike a broken object, a tarnished reputation is damage to someone's ___, not their body.
6.The company's name was tarnished ___ bad reviews and unhappy customers.
7.After the argument, his image was tarnished, and it was hard to ___ it again.