tarnish
To make something less shiny or spoil how good it seems.
tarnish in a sentence
- Years of neglect had tarnished the silver trophy until it looked grey and sad.
- Left in the damp cellar, the brass door knocker began to tarnish and lose its shine.
Try an 11+ style question
Verbal reasoning papers often ask about a word like this.
Which word is closest in meaning to tarnish?
- Apolish
- Bbrighten
- Cdull
- Dshine
Show the answer
C: dull. The other three mean the opposite of tarnish.
Which word is most nearly opposite in meaning to tarnish?
- Aspoil
- Bpolish
- Cstain
- Ddull
Show the answer
B: polish. The other three mean nearly the same as tarnish.
Words that mean something similar
dull, stain, spoil
Words that mean the opposite
polish, brighten, shine
More words about appearance & looks
- tattered: Torn, ragged and falling apart.
- taut: Stretched tight with no slack.
- threadbare: So worn out that the material is thin and nearly see-through.
- transparent: So clear that you can see straight through it.
- trinket: A small, pretty object that is not worth much money.
- unkempt: Untidy and not looked after.
- unscathed: Not harmed or damaged at all.
- vibrant: Full of life, energy or bright colour.
More words to explore
Sitting the 11+ in Kent, Medway or Buckinghamshire?
Plain-English guides to each test, from the councils’ own pages: Kent Test · Medway Test · Bucks Secondary Transfer Test