as in defect
something that spoils the appearance or completeness of a thing the expanding urban sprawl is a blight on the countryside
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to damage
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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 blight
George Avalos, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026 Some of the most common diseases affecting sweet corn are Northern corn leaf blight, common rust, and common smut. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Robert A. Cronkleton march 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026 Public opinion has also soured against encampments and blight in recent years, fueling election promises of faster solutions to homelessness. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blight
Noun
Despite being on the city’s radar since 2022, San Jose officials failed to banish the existing building’s blight. —George Avalos, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026 Some of the most common diseases affecting sweet corn are Northern corn leaf blight, common rust, and common smut. —Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 3 Apr. 2026
Verb
Stepped in to prevent food desert Concerned that closure would again blight the area and re‑create a food desert, CBKC entered negotiations to acquire the grocery operation and assume Lipari Brothers’ lease. —Robert A. Cronkleton march 5, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2026 Public opinion has also soured against encampments and blight in recent years, fueling election promises of faster solutions to homelessness. —Grant Stringer, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for blight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for blight
Noun
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Investigators later traced that leak to a factory defect in the pipe.— Lexi Salazar, CBS News, 15 Apr. 2026
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The defect allows the optical readout of an electron spin, which in turn is sensitive to changes in magnetic fields or temperature.— Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Washington’s version of McCall is disciplined but damaged, and possibly afflicted with something like obsessive-compulsive disorder.— Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
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In fact, Gerrod Moore, a brand manager of Maytag advises against uninformed stainless steel cleaning experimentation, because some kitchen cleaning go-to's like bleach, glass cleaner, abrasive cleaners, and steel wool may damage the metal.— Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.— Dr. C. E. Kuschel, Outdoor Life, 9 Apr. 2026
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The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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These tenacious insects discreetly land on your skin, leaving sudden, itchy, and painful bites that can swell and turn red, ruining a perfectly pleasant outdoor evening.— Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 18 Apr. 2026
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Who knew that an attempt to ruin Iran’s navy and army would result in the demilitarization of the West?— Rachel Marsden, Hartford Courant, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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James said nothing changes in his preparation from the regular season to the postseason, even when a looming battle against Rockets star Kevin Durant might reopen old playoff scars on Saturday night.— Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
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Pasco was described as a white man with a prominent scar on the right side of his face.— Cristóbal Reyes, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The caller told dispatch her 20-year-old son was inside the home and threatening to harm himself.— Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 21 Apr. 2026
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The combination of a shaky bullpen and even worse infield defense harmed the Twins multiple times during the team’s current four-game losing streak.— Dan Hayes, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Laney College athletic director John Beam KPIX Beam, who was beloved by his players and alumni and who left a lasting mark on the community, was shot and killed on the Laney campus in November.— Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
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Despite the unfavorable wind, the mark was more than 14 feet farther than the gold medal-winning throw at the Olympic Games two weeks later.— Scott M. Reid, Oc Register, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The journey has surely been flawed, but this transition to being open about the fluidity of her sexuality is somewhat unprecedented in Housewives’ history.— Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 13 Apr. 2026
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The results were often imperfect or flawed, which required manual correction and refinement.— Cath Virginia, The Verge, 11 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Blight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/thesaurus/blight. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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