MEANING
To spoil something partly by damaging it or introducing an unwelcome flaw.
Use it for
Words that belong together
- mar the occasion
- mar the surface
On the page
A deep scratch marred the otherwise flawless surface.
Nearby words
Word forms
- Base
- mar
- Past tense
- marred
- Past participle
- marred
- Present participle
- marring
Full tense & aspect guide
- Present
- mar
- Present continuous
- am/is/are marring
- Present perfect
- have/has marred
- Present perfect continuous
- have/has been marring
- Past
- marred
- Past continuous
- was/were marring
- Past perfect
- had marred
- Past perfect continuous
- had been marring
- Future
- will mar
- Future continuous
- will be marring
- Future perfect
- will have marred
- Future perfect continuous
- will have been marring
Choose the auxiliary that agrees with your subject. These are constructions of one word, not separate entries.
Usage notes
Primary category: literary / elevated general. Forms: mar; mars; marred; marred; marring Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Commonness: moderately common. Third-person singular: mars.
Practice this word in a sentenceYour margin notes
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