Definition of Tarnish

a dullness of color or luster

Examples of Tarnish in a sentence

The once shiny candlesticks now only had a tarnish about them, not being as pretty as they once were.  🔊

Tarnish on silverware makes them less valuable than new silverware, because they are no longer shiny and reflective.  🔊

If you touch silver too much you will make it tarnish, causing it to lose its luster and be less valuable.  🔊

The once shiny doorknob has been touched so much that it now has only a dull and lifeless tarnish.  🔊

There is tarnish on my car’s hub caps and it makes them less shiny, but I might be able to fix that if I have the right materials from an auto store.  🔊

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