1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
her poor choice of companions stained her reputation somewhat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paint
to give color or a different color to
stained the table to look like cherry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dirty
to make dirty
oil stained his work pants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stain
Peter White, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
Installing a wood bathroom vanity or selecting porous stones that easily stain are a few prime examples.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stain
Verb
Set in a landscape stained by red clay and bad blood, villainy is commonplace.
—Peter White, Deadline, 5 Mar. 2026
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
Reusable coffee cup lids can trap residue, leading to odors, stains, and even mold if not cleaned properly.
—Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 9 Mar. 2026
Installing a wood bathroom vanity or selecting porous stones that easily stain are a few prime examples.
—Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 9 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
Verb
-
Once a sky-blue democracy is restored, may Trump’s days of infamy be ruled illegitimate and his name and legacy duly tainted by all of history, darkly blackened or cautiously reddened in the honest records that this twerp and his twisted cohorts have conspired so heinously to whitewash.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
-
Is there something tainted or cursed about this place?—
Kennedy French,
Variety,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The clay can be shaped, molded, and even dried and painted.—
Chaunie Brusie,
Parents,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The mural was painted by co-owner Ed Roehr’s sister, Rebecca Roehr.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
13 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But as filming continued, Pidgeon appeared to dirty her butter blond with caramel and chocolate shades similar to Bessette-Kennedy’s, thanks to stylist Kari Hill.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
25 Feb. 2026
-
With the help of your Instant Pot, spaghetti and meatballs come together in under an hour without dirtying multiple dishes.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
24 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
But the blot on Sacramento State’s basketball resume is the road record.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
5 Mar. 2026
-
The left-back has started 123 of the last 125 games and 86 of the last 87, with the blot on his card arriving late last season when manager Oliver Glasner rested key players after Palace won the FA Cup.—
Gregg Evans,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The latter is popular with professionals for its colorful adjuster shades—liquid pigments in unnatural colors that can alter the tone of your base.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
11 Mar. 2026
-
The plant pigments betalains have anti-inflammatory properties that help the body destroy free radicals.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Panthers’ season has been marred by injuries and players running on fumes in the aftermath of three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final, including winning it all each of the past two years.—
Jordan McPherson,
Miami Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Hendrickson, whose final two seasons in Cincinnati were marred by contract questions, was said to be holding out for a deal that would pay him $30 million per year.—
Dianna Russini,
New York Times,
11 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The foliage shifts colors with the seasons, emerging bright red in spring then taking on a deep green hue during the summer months before shifting to burgundy in fall and winter.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
9 Mar. 2026
-
Their Meursault Charmes Premier Cru is medium straw colored to the eye and has a bouquet of acacia blossom, river rock, white peach, and pear.—
Mike DeSimone,
Robb Report,
5 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The Israeli strikes on oil facilities sparked massive pillars of fire and blackened the skies above Tehran.—
NPR Staff,
NPR,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Once a sky-blue democracy is restored, may Trump’s days of infamy be ruled illegitimate and his name and legacy duly tainted by all of history, darkly blackened or cautiously reddened in the honest records that this twerp and his twisted cohorts have conspired so heinously to whitewash.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.
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