In backing Libya, that reputation stands to be badly tarnished.
"The reputation of the Guardian has been tarnished by your willingness to accept his article.
It remains unclear whether Juncker will emerge unscathed – he admits his reputation has been tarnished – but top people in Brussels believe that the Luxembourger is safe.
That would prolong a divisive fight in the so-called "culture wars" that moderate Republicans fear have tarnished the party's reputation in recent years.
"Some people say I am too direct and too blunt; I think we can use a little bit of that in Washington DC," said Christie, who has been tarnished by allegations of political bullying during his time as governor of New Jersey.
But if Osborne rejects this course, the first two years of this parliament are going to be tough and all the talk of a one-nation government might look very tarnished by the end of 2017.
Standing against David had bigger ramifications for my family, and my relationship with him, than I anticipated Others think David Miliband would have proved electoral poison, tarnished by his stint as foreign secretary.
Murdoch later revealed that her one regret about the speech was not being more positive about her brother James, who had run News International but was tarnished by the hacking affair and retreated to a New York-based role.
Rouhani's administration has tried to revamp Iran's image, especially concerning the official attitude towards the country's Jewish community, after it was badly tarnished under his predecessor, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who was notorious for his Holocaust denials and antisemitic tirades.
Now one of the most high-profile success stories in the post-apartheid era is at risk of being tarnished.
The move, condemned by environmental groups who have warned of the likelihood of a catastrophic oil spill, has tarnished an environmental legacy that Obama is trying to build in his final year and a half as president.
