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
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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
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
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stain
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
In one video shared in April, taken deep inside a large karst cave, manure could be seen pouring through holes in the ceiling, forming sludge pools while staining the white stalactites black.
—Karla Cripps, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Daley Quinn, Glamour, 11 June 2025
Keep an eye out for water stains on ceilings and walls, a musty odor, or signs of past flooding in the basement or crawl space.
—Dana Bull, CNBC, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Verb
Painting or staining wooden boards with a food-safe sealant can also help them last longer.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
In one video shared in April, taken deep inside a large karst cave, manure could be seen pouring through holes in the ceiling, forming sludge pools while staining the white stalactites black.
—Karla Cripps, CNN Money, 17 June 2025
Noun
Unfortunately, both alcohol and peroxide can irritate gums and cause gum sensitivity—this formulation uses a combination of natural enzymes and gentle oxidizers to lift surface stains on the teeth and prevent new ones from forming.
—Daley Quinn, Glamour, 11 June 2025
Keep an eye out for water stains on ceilings and walls, a musty odor, or signs of past flooding in the basement or crawl space.
—Dana Bull, CNBC, 9 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
Verb
-
When Maris slammed his 61st home run to surpass Ruth, many Yankee fans, the media and Ford Frick, baseball’s commissioner at the time, said the accomplishment was tainted.—
Gary Stoller,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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In the filing, Taylor argued that a TV episode about the case has the potential to taint the jury pool.—
Adam Sabes,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
Verb
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Each bottle is painted with one of six native Mexican species—the axolotl, jaguar, monarch butterfly, dwarf jay, Tamaulipas owl, or Mexican wolf that are assigned randomly for each purchase—houses an extra añejo that rests for three years in both new American and European oak.—
Jillian Dara,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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Those numbers paint a broad picture but ignore myriad personal stories and struggles.—
Colin Millar,
New York Times,
27 June 2025
Verb
-
And for nights when you can't be bothered to dirty a million dishes just to get dinner on the table, there's an air fryer from Ninja.—
Sarah Felbin,
SELF,
23 May 2025
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Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
Noun
-
This blot on our state suggests the need for a constitutional amendment to make the office safely independent of the governor.—
Orlando Sentinel,
The Orlando Sentinel,
24 June 2025
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In Tunisia, President Kais Saied has notoriously imprisoned political opponents, destroying the judiciary, and diminished parliament to an ink blot.—
Bruce Fein,
Baltimore Sun,
14 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The shades offer budge-proof, crease-resistant color in 10 duos, with the same pigment, pearl and glitter as the original formula—in an easy, one-stop-swipe applicator.—
Dahvi Shira,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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As algae, phytoplankton has photosynthetic pigments, which absorb green light and cause the waters around it to appear primarily green, Susan Lozier, dean of the College of Sciences at the Georgia Institute of Technology and co-author of the paper, told ABC News.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
19 June 2025
Verb
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The last weekend of June in Indianapolis was marred by a rash of shootings that left seven dead and nine others injured.—
Noe Padilla,
IndyStar,
30 June 2025
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The Mets go the way of Francisco Lindor, and he’s been marred in his own slump this month.—
Abbey Mastracco,
New York Daily News,
30 June 2025
Verb
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Medical supports and equipment should be white if possible but may be colored if absolutely necessary.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
-
My daughter really enjoys coloring, but bringing paper, markers, and crayons in the car can get messy.—
Laura Lu,
Parents,
30 June 2025
Verb
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The site was visibly blackened by the degree of rubble thrown up by the strikes.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
23 June 2025
-
Broil the bell pepper for 4 to 6 minutes, until the skin starts to blacken.—
Alana Al-Hatlani,
Southern Living,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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