Word · Frequency #18429
tarnish
（使）失去光泽；（使）变暗
To lose its shine or become dull, especially when metal is exposed to air or oxidizes.
尤指金属氧化变暗
- 1.
To oxidize or discolor due to oxidation.
因氧化而氧化或变色
- 2.
To compromise, damage, soil, or sully.
损害、破坏、弄脏或玷污
- 3.
To lose its lustre or attraction; to become dull.
失去光泽或吸引力；变得暗淡
- 4.
To use a sign, image, expression, etc. sufficiently close to a trademarked one that it brings disrepute to it.
使用与商标相似的标志、图像、表达等,导致其声誉受损
玷污；损害；败坏；贬损（商标）；因氧化而氧化或变色；损害、破坏、弄脏或玷污；失去光泽或吸引力；变得暗淡
In use
The silver necklace tarnished after I wore it in the swimming pool.
Damp air will tarnish the brass handles on the old cabinet.
The copper pot has been tarnishing ever since we moved near the sea.
Verb forms
base tarnish · third person tarnishes · -ing tarnishing · past tarnished · past participle tarnished
tarnish 常表示金属失去光泽或名誉受损，是规则动词。
Connections
Collocations
- tarnish reputation
- 玷污声誉
- The scandal tarnished his reputation.这桩丑闻玷污了他的声誉。
- tarnish image
- 损害形象
- The incident tarnished the company's image.这一事件损害了公司的形象。
- tarnish one's name
- 玷污名声
- He refused to tarnish his family's name.他不肯玷污家族的名声。
- tarnish the brand
- 损害品牌声誉
- Counterfeit products tarnish the brand.假冒产品损害品牌声誉。
- tarnish silver
- 使银器失去光泽
- The damp air tarnished the silver.潮湿的空气使银器失去了光泽。
Idioms & figurative uses
Learner notes
Memory Tip
想象闪亮的银器沾上焦油(tar)，变得暗淡无光、受损——tarnish就是金属失去光泽、被玷污。
Context & Register
语域：mixed 常见场景：金属/珠宝表面、名誉/公众形象 作为动词，tarnish 既有本义（金属失去光泽），也有比喻义（损害名誉、形象等）。本义较中性，常见于日常和科技语境；比喻义多用于正式、书面或新闻报道中，语气比 damage 更带文学色彩。建议根据搭配选择：指具体物体用本义，指 reputation、image 等抽象名词时用比喻义。
Grammar Note
及物和不及物皆可
Pronunciation & Spelling
与 tarnish /ˈtɑːnɪʃ/ 押韵的有 varnish /ˈvɑːnɪʃ/、garnish /ˈɡɑːnɪʃ/（美式读作 /-ɑːrnɪʃ/，韵母仍相同）。Spanish、finish、furnish 拼写相近但不押韵：Spanish 的重读元音是 /æ/，finish 的是 /ɪ/，furnish 的是 /ɜː/。
Usage priority
Collins 词频等级为 1，建议结合例句记忆，而不是只背中文释义。
Learn the forms together
页面下方列出了常见词形变化。学习时注意它们在句子中的语法位置。
Dictionary facts from ECDICT, WIKTIONARY, WORDNET.