stain 1 of 2

verb

ˈstān How to pronounce stain (audio)
Definition of stainnext
1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable her poor choice of companions stained her reputation somewhat

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paint
to give color or a different color to stained the table to look like cherry

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dirty
to make dirty oil stained his work pants

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

stain

2 of 2

noun

1
as in blot
a mark of guilt or disgrace the stain of this cowardly act would haunt him for the rest of his career

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pigment
a substance used to color other materials applied several coats of stain to the wood

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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 stain
Verb
Romo was arrested in July on suspicion of operating a vehicle while intoxicated in Wisconsin, a moment that stained his image as the aw-shucks, clean-cut football star who has become one of the best on-air personalities in the game. — Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 2 Oct. 2026 The prosecutor then showed the jury Daniela’s shirt, which the detective said was stained by brown decomposition fluid, and Julia’s clothing, including her underwear soaked in blood. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Noun
This year’s victorious lip stain, Violette_FR Lip Nectar, is a must (pinky-red Bêtise is a favorite around the office). — Hunter Lacey, Allure, 16 Oct. 2026 Adding baking soda to interior grease stains can act as a gentle abrasive to scrub them away. — Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
  1. taint
  2. paint
  3. dirty
  4. blot
  5. pigment
  6. mar
  7. color
  8. blacken
Verb
  • That means if the sewage system backs up, the sink could be tainted.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Hahn told the Observer in 2020 that the scandal tainted televangelism broadly.
    — Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of taint
Verb
  • At most, the emissions of plasma crashing into our atmosphere might paint the sky in pretty shades of green or pink.
    — Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As a market, however, Latin America paints a different picture.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of paint
Verb
  • To even wade into the arguments might dirty your hands, and mind.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Satisfy your lasagna craving without dirtying up a pile of dishes.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 9 July 2026
Definition of dirty
Noun
  • Remove the wings from the refrigerator and blot away any visible moisture with paper towels.
    — Monti Carlo, AJC.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Act+Acre Microfiber Hair Towel Act+Acre’s popular flat towel comes with instructions for a specific technique —blot and squeeze, no rubbing.
    — Valeriya Chupinina, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of blot
Noun
  • The company made use of burgeoning microneedle patch technology, placing the microneedles in select designs like stars and hearts on the patch, and embedding pigments in the miniscule needles.
    — Avery Stone, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The couple also founded and operate FibreTrace, a verification platform that uses a patented luminescent pigment embedded in raw fibers, which is then traced, verified and audited in real time through every step of the textile supply chain.
    — Jennifer Bringle, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of pigment
Verb
  • Mass protests in France are often marred by violence on the fringes of otherwise peaceful marches, leading to clashes with police.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Oct. 2026
  • There were also parts that were not as successful — mainly the parts marred by his physical unreadiness.
    — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mar
Verb
  • And 1014 Gallery’s show of Vincent Wechselberger’s handprints, documenting the hedonism and tenderness that have colored a decade of the photographer’s life in Berlin, is reason enough for a Dalston detour.
    — Mahoro Seward, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Inky skies and tall, wan grasses color a world where the outsides match the insides of people, emotional weather syncopated to the actual climate and flora.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of color
Verb
  • Footage shot later at daybreak showed the house gutted, charred and blackened from the inside out.
    — Zeena Saifi, CNN Money, 29 Sep. 2026
  • After the first killing frost blackens their foliage, wait for a dry day and gently lift them with a garden fork.
    — Pam Rosendal, Denver Post, 27 Sep. 2026
Definition of blacken

Browse Nearby Words

staidness
stain
stained
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Cite this Entry

“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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