Sign In Get Started
Prepositions after verbs

Tarnish with different prepositions

Tarnish usually takes a direct object. Some prepositions appear in passive or descriptive structures.

Quick answer

Which prepositions are used with tarnish?

Tarnish commonly appears without a preposition: tarnish a reputation. Tarnished by is standard in passive structures. Tarnished with is used for marks or stains. Tarnish in, tarnish after, and tarnish as are not standard fixed combinations after the verb.

The scandal tarnished his reputation.
Her image was tarnished by corruption claims.
The silver was tarnished with dark spots.

Choose the pattern by meaning

These forms are not interchangeable. Choose the construction by meaning, not by which preposition appears most often.

1
tarnish + reputation/image

Damaging status or appearance

Tarnish often means damage someone's reputation or image.

The incident tarnished the company's image.
2
be tarnished by + cause

Showing the reason for damage

By introduces the cause in passive structures.

His career was tarnished by controversy.
3
be tarnished with + marks

Describing physical staining

With can describe marks, stains, or physical effects.

The metal was tarnished with rust.

See the difference in context

The same subject can take different constructions because each sentence answers a different question.

Construction
Example
Meaning
tarnish by
The athlete's reputation was tarnished by the scandal.
damage caused by something
tarnish with
The silver was tarnished with age.
covered or affected by something
tarnish in
Tarnish in is not a standard fixed combination after the verb.
generally nonstandard
tarnish after
Tarnish after is not idiomatic in current English.
generally incorrect
tarnish as
He was tarnished as unreliable.
rare and awkward; other structures are preferred

Common mistakes

Some combinations appear in real text but do not mean what learners often assume.

Using unnecessary prepositions

Tarnish often takes a direct object.

✕ The rumours tarnished at his reputation. ✓ The rumours tarnished his reputation.

Using tarnish after

After is not normally used directly after tarnish.

✕ Her name was tarnished after the trial. ✓ Her name was tarnished by the trial.

Confusing physical and figurative meanings

Tarnish can refer to both reputation and physical appearance.

✓ The silver tarnished over time.

Quick practice

Choose the expression that matches the intended meaning.

1. The accusations tarnished ___ public image.
2. The brand was tarnished ___ negative publicity.
3. The old coins were tarnished ___ dirt and moisture.

Check your sentence in context

Paste the complete sentence below. Linguix checks the preposition together with grammar, spelling, punctuation, and style.

Free to try · No signup required

Frequently asked questions

Can tarnish be intransitive?

Yes. Metals can tarnish naturally over time without an object.

Is tarnished with always physical?

Usually, though it can occasionally be figurative in literary writing.

What is a common noun used with tarnish?

Reputation is one of the most common objects after tarnish.

tackle by, in, for, with or on? tack-on-onto-to-across, as "tag with" or "tag in"? tailor to, for, from, toward or towards? "taint by" or "taint with"? "take into", "take in" or "take to"? "talk about" or "talk to"? tally with, in, for, up or at? "tap into" or "tap on"? target at, by, for, to or in? "taste like", "taste of" or "taste in"? "tax at" or "tax on"?

Write with confidence in Linguix

Create a free account to check complete texts, apply suggestions, and save your documents.

Create a free account