stain
verb
\
Definition of stain
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to suffuse with color
3a : taint sense 3 a conscience stained with guilt
b : to bring discredit on the scandal stained his reputation
4 : to color (something, such as wood, glass, or cloth) by processes affecting chemically or otherwise the material itself
: to receive a stain
stain
nounDefinition of stain (Entry 2 of 2)
1a : a soiled or discolored spot
b : a natural spot of color contrasting with the ground
2 : a taint of guilt : stigma
3 : a preparation (as of dye or pigment) used in staining: such as
a : a dye or pigment capable of penetrating the pores of wood
b : a dye or mixture of dyes used in microscopy to make visible minute and transparent structures, to differentiate tissue elements, or to produce specific chemical reactions
Keep scrolling for more
Other Words from stain
Verb
\
adjective
\
noun
Noun
\
adjective
Synonyms & Antonyms for stain
Synonyms: Verb
befoul, begrime, bemire, besmirch, blacken, daub, dirty, distain [archaic], foul, gaum [dialect], grime, mire, muck, muddy, smirch, smudge, soil, sully
Synonyms: Noun
blot, brand, onus, slur, smirch, smudge, spot, stigma, taint
Antonyms: Verb
Visit the Thesaurus for More
Examples of stain in a Sentence
Verb
The red wine stained the carpet. He stained the wood a dark cherry color. The accusations stained his reputation.Noun
There's a juice stain on the floor. She has a stain on her shirt. Will those grass stains wash out?
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
Pound, the legendary American poet, stained his reputation by advocating for Benito Mussolini, broadcasting fascist messages on Italian radio during World War II. — Jeet Heer, The New Republic, "Is Kanye West “the Ezra Pound of Rap”?," 30 Apr. 2018 Each camper comes stained and unpainted, giving you a chance to customize the colors and extra details like flower beds, striped awnings, and mini grills. — Liz Stinson, Curbed, "These mini vintage campers make adorable birdhouses," 27 Apr. 2018 By this time most of our clothes had picked up dust from the dirt roads around camp but De’Shaun came dusted in the kind of dull ache that stained the air around you. — Sadia Hassan, Longreads, "Silence is a Lonely Country: A Prayer in Twelve Parts," 13 July 2018 Families had no water and power, and spoke of squatters and gangs taking over, of gunshots and the blood of a dead boy staining the pavement. — Joshua Sharpe, ajc, "Good things coming for notorious, crime-infested DeKalb complex?," 7 July 2018 Residents have reported rashes and stained clothing. — Ruben Vives, latimes.com, "Abolishing a water district isn't easy — even when it's accused of nepotism, mismanagement and delivering brown water," 7 July 2018 At the time, Last 2 Walk’s relative lack of commercial and critical success seemed like the kind of flop that would stain, if not undo, an artist’s legacy. — Patrick Lyons, Billboard, "10 Years Ago, Three 6 Mafia's 'Last 2 Walk' Almost Ruined Their Legacy," 24 June 2018 Step 12: Once the bow has been stained, dried, and sealed, wrap the 5 inches of handle with hemp cord using a whipping technique (above). — Andrew Del-colle And Lara Sorokanich, Popular Mechanics, "How to Make a Bow and Arrow By Hand," 5 June 2018 It was stained black, as if someone had ladled tar over its bark. — Nathanael Johnson, WIRED, "Are Avocados Toast?," 24 May 2018Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
So, like any rational design-lover, Keltie decided to sand down the beams to remove the red stain, while opting for white walls to accentuate the height. — Lucia Tonelli, ELLE Decor, "This is How TV Personality Keltie Knight Crafted the Bedroom of Her Dreams," 25 Oct. 2018 Using a clean, white cloth, sponge the stain with the mixture. — Lauren Smith, Good Housekeeping, "How to Get Coffee Stains Out of Absolutely Everything," 6 Sep. 2018 Apply hydrogen peroxide or lemon juice to the stain. — Jolie Kerr, Teen Vogue, "How To Get Period Stains Out: 10 Ways to Remove Blood from Fabric," 17 July 2018 This scandal left an indelible stain on our country’s history. — Anna Fifield, Washington Post, "South Korean prosecutors request 30-year sentence for disgraced former president Park," 27 Feb. 2018 For Republicans, what seemed like a temporary political compromise is becoming an indelible moral stain. — Michael Gerson, Anchorage Daily News, "Republicans watch as Trump makes the executive branch his personal fiefdom," 6 Feb. 2018 Clean your carpet in a pinch Got an oily stain on your rug? — Leah Chernikoff, Redbook, "17 Who-Knew Brilliant Ways to Use Dry Shampoo," 12 June 2014 Twenty-eight athletes were later reinstated, but the stain of one of the most elaborate and successful doping ploys in sports remained. — Kevin Baxter, latimes.com, "Russia's performance in World Cup — and the country's history — are raising doping suspicions," 5 July 2018 In 2015, the 911 police dispatch area was in desperate need of an upgrade, with water stains on the ceiling and desks and computers so old that replacement parts were no longer available. — Claudia Vargas, Philly.com, "What happened to Philly's $40 million 911 surplus?," 26 June 2018These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'stain.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for stain
stain
verb
English Language Learners Definition of stain
(Entry 1 of 2)
: to leave a mark on something
: to be marked or damaged by a stain
: to use a special liquid to change the color of (something)
stain
nounEnglish Language Learners Definition of stain (Entry 2 of 2)
: a mark made on a surface, a piece of clothing, etc., that is very hard or impossible to remove
: a special liquid that is used to change the color of something (such as wood or cloth)
: something that causes people to have less respect for someone : something that damages a person's reputation
See the full definition for stain in the English Language Learners Dictionary
stain
verb
\
Kids Definition of stain
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to soil or discolor especially in spots
2 : to use something (as a dye) to change the color of I spent the weekend staining the deck.
3 : corrupt entry 1 sense 1 Her conscience was stained.
4 : disgrace entry 1 The scandal stained his reputation.
stain
nounKids Definition of stain (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : spot entry 1 sense 2, discoloration Will this stain wash out?
2 : a mark of guilt or disgrace : stigma
3 : something (as a dye) used in staining
stain
transitive verb
\
Medical Definition of stain
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : to cause discoloration of smoking stains teeth
2 : to color by processes affecting chemically or otherwise the material itself stain bacteria with a fluorescent dye
: to receive a stain
stain
nounMedical Definition of stain (Entry 2 of 2)
1 : a discolored spot or area (as on the skin or teeth) — see port-wine stain
2 : a preparation (as of dye or pigment) used in staining something especially : a dye or mixture of dyes used in microscopy to make minute and transparent structures visible, to differentiate tissue elements, or to produce specific chemical reactions
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on stain
What made you want to look up stain? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Difficult Vocab Quiz
-
- Which is a synonym of discomfit?
Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZ
Share stain
Resources for stain