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
Example Sentences
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 that rare political campaign that wasn't marred by the taint of false accusations
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
Gifford says her biggest worry is not her own reputation but that the accusations by these former students will taint the work of every student who has studied at the conservatory. Gary Baum, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 May 2022 Homestake must prove that the contamination, which exceeds federal safety levels, won’t pose a risk to nearby residents or taint the drinking water of communities downstream. Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 8 Aug. 2022 The prosecution is partly to blame for that, the defense lawyers maintain, arguing Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald has publicly made false claims about the case and gone out of her way to taint the image of the parents. Tresa Baldas, Detroit Free Press, 24 May 2022 While some locals shrug it off, others worry that the media attention could taint the public image of Boyle Heights. Rachel Uranga, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2022 Will this scandal taint his effort to fight corruption?New York Times, 10 June 2022 This eliminates guesswork and vague speculation about possible candidates and minimizes the possibility that subconscious bias could taint the process. Eric Friedman, Forbes, 7 June 2022 Oshkosh: The judge presiding over a case involving a violent altercation in a Wisconsin high school postponed the trial after defense attorneys argued that public sentiment related to the school shootings in Texas could taint the jury pool. From Usa Today Network And Wire Reports, USA TODAY, 1 June 2022 However, fire officials said, residents complained at the time that some blocks had an X on every house, creating a visual effect that could taint a neighborhood’s reputation. Emily Opilo, Baltimore Sun, 15 June 2022
Noun
The taint of government negligence, corruption, irresponsible spending, and nepotism has weakened our nation and created a serious security threat.Anchorage Daily News, 5 Aug. 2022 Though many have not been explicitly banned, their availability has vanished as foreign companies avoid the taint of doing business in Russia. Mary Ilyushina, Washington Post, 26 May 2022 The taint of moral hypocrisy corroded the prime minister’s popularity with the public. Mark Landler, New York Times, 6 June 2022 Smallish, with a serious stammer, a drinking problem, and more than a taint of insanity running in his family, Charles Lamb was not dealt the best of hands. Joseph Epstein, National Review, 28 Apr. 2022 From the late 19th and well into the 20th century, a host of conditions, which included lunacy but also feeblemindedness, epilepsy and pauperism, were believed to be caused by an inborn hereditary taint impervious to any and all treatment. Siri Hustvedt, Washington Post, 3 June 2022 One month later, the Eleventh Circuit heard a matter involving taint teams. The Insider, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022 In 2020, the Department of Justice created a Special Matters Unit to oversee taint teams. The Insider, Forbes, 14 Apr. 2022 It’s as though the building itself — home of empire — has been refitted as a clarifying device, with light as disinfectant for the taint of exploitation. Murray Whyte, BostonGlobe.com, 21 Apr. 2022 See More
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