tarnished image
Once-bright esteem dimmed
A tarnished image is a reputation that has lost its shine—damaged by scandal, failure, or association with something negative.
The metaphor comes from metal losing its luster: The company's tarnished image made recruiting difficult.
Unlike a ruined reputation, a tarnished image suggests the damage might be polished away with effort.
- tarnishedOxidized and discolored
- reputationCollective opinion of someone
- scandalDisgraceful public affair
- bad pressUnfavorable media coverage
- damagedMade worse by injury
sullied · stained · blemished · disgraced · fallen from grace · smeared · mud · mud slinging · shame · fallen · rusted · dull · blackened · smudged · corroded · celebrity · public relations · damage control
- disgracedishonor, disgrace, downfall, stigma, scandal
- reputationreputation, reputable, bad reputation, repute, disreputable
- defamationslander, libel, defamation, defamatory statement, defaming
- scandalsscandal, controversy, coverup, cover-up, disgrace
tarnished imagegood name
Favorable public regard
positive image · high regard · good standing · credibility · esteem
tarnish, tarnishes, tarnishing, untarnished, image, images, imagery, imagine, imagines