The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 3 letter word MAR which also is the latest solution we found used in New York Times in 2025.
Tarnish crossword clue answers
Here's a list of possible crossword answers ranked by the most likely to least likely.
| Answer | Likelyness | Letters |
|---|---|---|
| MAR | 35 % | 3 |
| SULLY | 20 % | 5 |
| TAINT | 16 % | 5 |
| SOIL | 11 % | 4 |
| DISCOLOR | 3 % | 8 |
| BESMEAR | 3 % | 7 |
| DAMAGE | 2 % | 6 |
| SMIRCH | 2 % | 6 |
| STAIN | 2 % | 5 |
| DEFILE | 1 % | 6 |
| BESMIRCH | 1 % | 8 |
| SMEAR | 1 % | 5 |
| RUST | 1 % | 4 |
Why may MAR be the right solution?
"Mar" means to damage or spoil the quality of something, which can result in tarnishing its appearance. Therefore, "Mar" is the right solution for the crossword clue "Tarnish."
Words with a meaning similar to the clue: Tarnish
These words may or may not be a possible solution to this crosswords clue.- maculate
- sully
- defile
- stain
- smear
- cloud
- besmirch
- soil
- mar
- maim
- destroy
- damage
Crossword Answer definitions
MAR noun- A blemish.
- To spoil; to ruin; to scathe; to damage.
- A small lake.
More crossword clues leading to the same solutions
Here's a few more crossword clues - all leading to the identical solution
More clues leading to the result MAR
More clues leading to the result SULLY
- Defile
- Besmirch
- Tarnish
- Muck up
- Stain
- 2016 film subtitled "Miracle on the Hudson"
- Pilot played by Hanks
- Besmirch.
- Smirch.
- Tarnish.
More clues leading to the result TAINT
More clues leading to the result SOIL
- Make dirty
- Earth
- Planting medium
- Potting need
- Erosion loss
- Pollute
- Get dirty
- Dirty
- Gardener's medium
- Planter's medium
More clues leading to the result DISCOLOR
More clues leading to the result BESMEAR
More clues leading to the result DAMAGE
- Cause harm to
- Reason for a refund
- Tarnish
- Mess up
- Do a job on
- Harm
- What insurance covers
- "What's the ___?" (buyer's query)
- Crumpled fender, for example
- Cost, slangily
More clues leading to the result SMIRCH
- Sully
- Taint
- Tarnish
- Blot on one's reputation.
- Sully.
- Discredit
- Discrediting act
- Soil
- Insult the name of
- Dishonor
More clues leading to the result STAIN
- Leaky-pen consequence
- Mark of disgrace
- Woodworker's need
- Blemish
- Blotch
- Discoloration
- Sully
- "The Human ___" (Philip Roth)
- Disgrace
- Finish up some furniture
More clues leading to the result DEFILE
- Narrow mountain pass
- Contaminate
- Make dirty
- Besmirch
- Pollute
- Sully
- Taint
- Sully, as a reputation
- Tarnish, as a reputation
- Dirty
More clues leading to the result BESMIRCH
More clues leading to the result SMEAR
- Vilify during a campaign
- Libel
- Mess up the makeup
- Bad mouth
- Talk shit about
- ___ campaign
- Tarnish
- Apply Vaseline
- Besmirch
- Blurry mess