MAR Synonyms: 180 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'mar' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mar are damage , harm , hurt , impair , and injure . While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement. // the text is marred by many typos

Q: When is it sensible to use 'damage' instead of 'mar'?

While in some cases nearly identical to mar , damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness. // a table damaged in shipping

Q: When might 'harm' be a better fit than 'mar'?

The words harm and mar can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss. // careful not to harm the animals

Q: When is 'hurt' a more appropriate choice than 'mar'?

In some situations, the words hurt and mar are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings. // hurt by their callous remarks

Q: When can 'impair' be used instead of 'mar'?

The words impair and mar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution. // years of smoking had impaired his health

Q: In what contexts can 'injure' take the place of 'mar'?

The meanings of injure and mar largely overlap; however, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success. // badly injured in an accident

mar 1 of 2

noun

Definition of mar

as in defect

something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing the Johnsons complained to the movers about broken dishes and mars on the furniture

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mar

2 of 2

verb

ˈmär

as in to taint

to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable mar a politician's reputation with scurrilous rumors

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to injure

to reduce the soundness, effectiveness, or perfection of the once glossy surface is now marred by numerous small pits and abrasions

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word mar distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of mar are damage, harm, hurt, impair, and injure. While all these words mean "to affect injuriously," mar applies to injury that spoils perfection (as of a surface) or causes disfigurement.

the text is marred by many typos

When is it sensible to use damage instead of mar?

While in some cases nearly identical to mar, damage suggests injury that lowers value or impairs usefulness.

a table damaged in shipping

When might harm be a better fit than mar?

The words harm and mar can be used in similar contexts, but harm often stresses the inflicting of pain, suffering, or loss.

careful not to harm the animals

When is hurt a more appropriate choice than mar?

In some situations, the words hurt and mar are roughly equivalent. However, hurt implies inflicting a wound to the body or to the feelings.

hurt by their callous remarks

When can impair be used instead of mar?

The words impair and mar are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impair suggests a making less complete or efficient by deterioration or diminution.

years of smoking had impaired his health

In what contexts can injure take the place of mar?

The meanings of injure and mar largely overlap; however, injure implies the inflicting of anything detrimental to one's looks, comfort, health, or success.

badly injured in an accident

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of mar

Verb

The findings paint a picture of a response marred by poor preparation, communication issues and disorganized leadership that struggled to coordinate between jurisdictions. — Evan Bush, NBC news, 2 Oct. 2026 But his legacy was also marred by the discovery of his elaborate shielding of his wealth from taxes through shell companies, which experts say may have hurt the growth of his nation. — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 30 Sep. 2026 But his more impressive follow-up LP, 2022’s River Fools & Mountain Saints, seemed to be marred by its rollout, or lack thereof. — Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 29 Sep. 2026 The team’s own highlights package of the victory is marred by defenders beating him almost immediately off the line of scrimmage. — Bobby Burack Outkick, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mar

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mar

Noun

Indeed, the film almost seems to deliberately court these defects, as if to focus its audience on appreciating the beauty that survives them.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 11 Oct. 2026
But Reddit users say images shared there show something more dramatic that appears to be a defect.

— Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of defect

Verb

Hahn told the Observer in 2020 that the scandal tainted televangelism broadly.

— Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Bolsonaro has seen his political career tainted by several corruption accusations, the latest of them involving a disgraced banker paying him millions of dollars, allegedly to produce a movie on his father's life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of taint

Verb

Monday's attack came a day after a Russian drone struck the village of Pisochyn in the Kharkiv district, killing three people and injuring nine others, including children, according to the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutor's Office.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026
The script was about a last draft-pick NFL player who gets injured on his very first play and returns home to Alaska to become a fisherman.

— Aaron Couch, HollywoodReporter, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of injure

Noun

In his filing, Wandner recounted that Roberts was 12 years old when his mother killed his father, an experience the attorney said left lasting psychological scars.

— Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026
In Red Ants one story features the magnificent Wintermaker constellation, another a half-moon scar on a wolf’s flank.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of scar

Verb

Two-episode weeks spoil us, and then we’re left with the feeling that barely anything happened in one week.

— Alice Burton, Vulture, 9 Oct. 2026
Alongside Stonestreet’s return, Ritter is also back in the Dexter universe, but the cast and crew were more careful about not spoiling how.

— Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of spoil

Verb

Refineries in Russia have been destroyed or damaged by drone attacks.

— Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
Workers included street signs and sidewalks, curbs and stretches of road damaged from the storm, from the heavy equipment that was brought in or trees falling, Kern said.

— Michelle L. Quinn, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of damage

Noun

Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.

— ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of blotch

Verb

Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.

— Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of stain

Cite this Entry

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“Mar.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mar. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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verb

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