contaminar (reputación)
verbCEFR B2
What does “contaminar (reputación)” mean in English?
to taint, to blight
to taint, to blight (contaminar — figurative: damage reputation or integrity)
Example sentences
El escándalo contaminó la imagen de toda la institución, no solo la de los implicados directamente.
The scandal tainted the image of the entire institution, not just those directly involved.
Los abogados alegaron que el juicio estaba viciado porque se había contaminado la evidencia.
The lawyers argued that the trial was flawed because the evidence had been contaminated.
La corrupción sistémica terminó por contaminar hasta los sectores que inicialmente permanecían al margen.
Systemic corruption ended up tainting even the sectors that had initially remained on the sidelines.
How to use it
Contaminar in its figurative sense means 'to taint', 'to blight', or 'to corrupt'. Literal contamination (contaminar el agua/el aire) is the environmental sense. The figurative B2 sense: contaminar la imagen, contaminar el proceso, contaminar la evidencia — introduces the idea of external pollution that degrades integrity or reputation. Near-synonyms: manchar (stain — more visible/direct), empañar (cloud/tarnish — more subtle), deslustrar (dull the shine of).
Common mistake
Contaminar (taint figuratively) is powerful and specific — it implies that something clean has been externally spoiled. Manchar (stain) is more direct and visual. Empañar (tarnish/cloud) is softer and more common for reputational nuance. In environmental contexts, contaminar is always the correct choice — manchar el agua sounds oddly mild.