black mark

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.

In fact, if the indictments become a black mark against the company among some customers, Dell may have one less rival to worry about.

From Barron's • Mar. 20, 2026

The name Jean-Baptiste Lamarck has long carried a black mark in the annals of science.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026

That would spare Boeing from a criminal record, a black mark that would complicate its dealings as a contractor for the government.

From BBC • May 16, 2025

“It was a black mark on your record — tied to your ID,” Ogren recalled.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 4, 2023

Oh, to paint those symbols with a slight brush and a quick turn of the wrist and to make a clear black mark as fragile as a piece of a butterfly wing!

From "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" by Betty Smith