noun
verb
Related Words
See defect.
Other Word Forms
- blemisher noun
- unblemished adjective
- unblemishing adjective
Etymology
Origin of blemish
1275–1325; Middle English (v.) < Anglo-French, Middle French blemiss-, long stem of ble ( s ) mir to make livid, perhaps < Old Low Franconian *blesmjan; see blaze 2
Explanation
A blemish is a small flaw. If you borrow your brother's brand new bicycle, you'd better be careful — what might seem like the tiniest blemish to you might be a horribly ruined paint job to him. The classic example of a blemish is a pimple or other mark on your skin, but you can call any small defect a blemish — like a worm hole in an apple or a scrape on the side of your car. A flaw or fault in your personality or morals can also be called a blemish. You might say that the one time your dog accidentally nipped you is the only blemish on his reputation as a sweet, gentle pet.
Vocabulary lists containing blemish
"The Landlady" by Roald Dahl
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List 6
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100 SAT Words Beginning with "B"
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
And in a culture so hellbent on idol worship and exhausting discourse, where every blemish is smoothed out or screamed at, “SNL” still offers us something scrappy and unvarnished.
From Salon • Apr. 19, 2026
Sagimet’s denifanstat showed increased blemish clearance in young adults after a year, with a 20% reduction in pimples after three months compared with a placebo in a China study.
From Barron's • Feb. 3, 2026
In perhaps the only blemish on his night, Dent logged just four assists to go with his four turnovers.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 18, 2025
European champions Spain were close to joining England with a perfect campaign, but a 2-2 draw against Turkey in their final qualifying match put the only small blemish on their record.
From BBC • Dec. 5, 2025
He couldn’t stand having this blemish on his record.
From "Maniac Magee" by Jerry Spinelli
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
