tainting
Making something impure
Tainting is the act of contaminating, spoiling, or corrupting something.
Evidence becomes tainted when mishandled; a reputation is tainted by scandal.
The word suggests that something once pure or trustworthy has been compromised: The leak risked tainting the jury pool.
Food tainting refers to contamination that affects safety or flavor.
Making something impure
- pollutingIntroducing harmful contaminants
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- infectingTransmitting pathogens to hosts
- adulteratingDegrading by adding impurities
spoiling · fouling · corrupting · defiling · besmirching · sullying · tarnishing · vitiating
Marking as socially unacceptable
- disgracingCausing loss of honor
- shamingCausing feelings of disgrace
- dishonoringBringing shame upon
- besmirchingDamaging someone's reputation
sullying · tarnishing · smearing · discrediting · defaming · branding · scandal · infamy
Violating something sacred
- profaningViolating sacred things
- defilingCorrupting purity or sanctity
- violatingInfringing upon established rules
- degradingLowering in worth
dishonoring · polluting · sacrilege · impurity · blasphemy · debasement · corruption · uncleanness
Improper interference with something
- compromisingExposing to harm or scandal
- contaminatingMaking something impure
- adulteratingDegrading by adding impurities
- corruptingCausing moral decay
manipulating · interfering · falsifying · spoiling · mishandling · chain of custody · cross-contamination · invalidating
Causing moral decay
- pervertingDistorting from proper use
- debasingLowering in quality
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
- degradingLowering in worth
warping · vitiating · depravity · debasement · perversion · immorality · vice · corruption
contaminating
Making something impure
- pollutingIntroducing harmful contaminants
- poisoningHarmful substance exposure
- infectingTransmitting pathogens to hosts
adulterating · spoiling · fouling · corrupting · defiling · besmirching · sullying · tarnishing · vitiating · debasing
stigmatizing
Marking as socially unacceptable
- disgracingCausing loss of honor
- shamingCausing feelings of disgrace
- dishonoringBringing shame upon
besmirching · sullying · tarnishing · smearing · discrediting · defaming · branding · scandal · infamy · disgrace
desecrating
Violating something sacred
- profaningViolating sacred things
- defilingCorrupting purity or sanctity
- violatingInfringing upon established rules
degrading · dishonoring · polluting · sacrilege · impurity · blasphemy · debasement · corruption · uncleanness · violation
tampering
Improper interference with something
- compromisingExposing to harm or scandal
- contaminatingMaking something impure
- adulteratingDegrading by adding impurities
corrupting · manipulating · interfering · falsifying · spoiling · mishandling · chain of custody · cross-contamination · invalidating · forensic
corrupting
Causing moral decay
- pervertingDistorting from proper use
- debasingLowering in quality
- demoralizingDestroying confidence or hope
degrading · warping · vitiating · depravity · debasement · perversion · immorality · vice · corruption · decadence
rusting
Metal oxidation process
- oxidizingCombining with oxygen
- corrodingDeteriorating through chemical action
- deterioratingBecoming progressively worse
decaying · eroding · pitting · degrading · weakening · disintegrating · crumbling · wearing · fretting · oxidation
- contaminationpolluting, contaminating, fouling, poisoning, infecting
- spoilagerotten, stale, moldy, rotting, spoiled
- dirtyingsoiling, dirtying, staining, smearing, smudging
- food adulterationdilution, watering down, cutting, tampering, doctoring
- corruptioncorruption, graft, kickbacks, bribery, bribes
- deterioratingdecaying, decomposing, degrading, rotting, eroding
taintingpurifying
Removing unwanted substances
cleansing · disinfecting · sanitizing · decontaminating · sterilizing
taintingblessing
Prayer seeking divine favor
honoring · sanctifying · redeeming · hallowing · vindicating