taint

1 of 3

verb

ˈtānt How to pronounce taint (audio)
tainted; tainting; taints
Synonyms of taintnext

transitive verb

1
: to contaminate morally : corrupt
scholarship tainted by envy
2
: to affect with putrefaction : spoil
3
: to touch or affect slightly with something bad
persons tainted with prejudice

intransitive verb

1
: to become affected with putrefaction : spoil
2
obsolete : to become weak

taint

2 of 3

noun (1)

plural taints
: a contaminating mark or influence
the taint of scandal
taintless
ˈtānt-ləs How to pronounce taint (audio)
adjective

taint

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural taints
vulgar slang
: the area between the anus and the posterior part of the external genitalia : perineum

Synonyms

Verb

Noun (1)

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for taint

contaminate, taint, pollute, defile mean to make impure or unclean.

contaminate implies intrusion of or contact with dirt or foulness from an outside source.

water contaminated by industrial wastes

taint stresses the loss of purity or cleanliness that follows contamination.

tainted meat
a politician's tainted reputation

pollute, sometimes interchangeable with contaminate, distinctively may imply that the process which begins with contamination is complete and that what was pure or clean has been made foul, poisoned, or filthy.

the polluted waters of the river

defile implies befouling of what could or should have been kept clean and pure or held sacred and commonly suggests violation or desecration.

defile a hero's memory with slanderous innuendo

Examples of taint in a Sentence

Verb criticism of her sister's singing that was tainted by envy a tendency toward conceitedness taints the athlete's status as a role model Noun (1) that rare political campaign that wasn't marred by the taint of false accusations
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Verb
Eight years have passed since the 2016 U.S. election was tainted with disinformation attributed to Moscow, and the government has not found a way to deter this kind of meddling. —Simon Shuster, TIME, 2 Nov. 2024 There has been a rash of foodborne illnesses reported of late caused by food products potentially tainted with bacteria such as listeria, salmonella and E. coli bacteria. —Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, 26 Oct. 2024
Noun
Same as Papen, Tartt felt the blight and taint of her origins. —Lili Anolik, Vulture, 12 Nov. 2024 Frost ruined Pasquet’s entire crop in 2021, and his 2022 vintage was more limited than usual because of smoke taint from forest fires in the region. —Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for taint 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English teynten to color & taynten to attaint; Middle English teynten, from Anglo-French teinter, from teint, past participle of teindre, from Latin tingere; Middle English taynten, short for attaynten — more at tinge, attain

Noun (2)

respelling of 'tain't, contraction of it ain't, implying that this area of the body is neither the anus nor the genitalia

First Known Use

Verb

1573, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (1)

1601, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of taint was in 1573

Dictionary Entries Near taint

Taino

taint

tainted

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Taint.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/taint. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

taint

1 of 2 verb
ˈtānt How to pronounce taint (audio)
1
: to touch or affect slightly with something bad
2
: spoil entry 2 sense 2c, decay

taint

2 of 2 noun
1
: a trace of decay : stain
2
: a spoiling influence
taintless
-ləs How to pronounce taint (audio)
adjective

Legal Definition

taint

transitive verb
ˈtānt How to pronounce taint (audio)
: to damage or destroy the validity of
evidence tainted by an illegal search
taint noun

More from Merriam-Webster on taint

Nglish: Translation of taint for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of taint for Arabic Speakers

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