1
as in blots
a mark of guilt or disgrace
the stain of this cowardly act would haunt him for the rest of his career
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in taints
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
her poor choice of companions stained her reputation somewhat
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in paints
to give color or a different color to
stained the table to look like cherry
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in smudges
to make dirty
oil stained his work pants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 stains
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
Still, sometimes the heat is impossible to ignore — evident in the small sweat stains on Dinkel’s blue collared shirt.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
For example, stainless steel sinks are fairly cheap, durable, easy to clean and resistant to stains and rust.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
For tougher stains, professional cleaning is recommended.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
This portable cleaner has 12Kpa suction power that easily removes dirt, pet stains, odors, and other tough spots from carpet, couches, baby car seats, high chairs, and more.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2025
Dressed in their underwear, the two boys are then moved into the family’s kitchen, which is splattered with blood stains.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Stardrops The Pink Stuff The viral Pink Stuff cleaning paste has become a TikTok favorite for its ability to erase stubborn stains, and more than 40,000 shoppers have picked up a tube in the past month.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Each chair holds up to 350 pounds and can stand up to stains and bad weather.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Noun
Removing Stains From Linoleum Floors Linoleum floors can get stains and discoloration from heavy foot traffic, food spills, pets, or heavy furniture that's been sitting on them for some time.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 7 Sep. 2025
Still, sometimes the heat is impossible to ignore — evident in the small sweat stains on Dinkel’s blue collared shirt.
—Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 5 Sep. 2025
For example, stainless steel sinks are fairly cheap, durable, easy to clean and resistant to stains and rust.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 5 Sep. 2025
For tougher stains, professional cleaning is recommended.
—Zoë Sessums, Architectural Digest, 4 Sep. 2025
This portable cleaner has 12Kpa suction power that easily removes dirt, pet stains, odors, and other tough spots from carpet, couches, baby car seats, high chairs, and more.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Aug. 2025
Dressed in their underwear, the two boys are then moved into the family’s kitchen, which is splattered with blood stains.
—Oren Liebermann, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2025
Stardrops The Pink Stuff The viral Pink Stuff cleaning paste has become a TikTok favorite for its ability to erase stubborn stains, and more than 40,000 shoppers have picked up a tube in the past month.
—Toni Sutton, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Each chair holds up to 350 pounds and can stand up to stains and bad weather.
—Christopher Murray
May Earn A Commission If You Buy Through Our Referral Links. This Content Was Created By A Team That Works Independently From The Fox Newsroom., FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stains
Noun
-
Aveda Botanical Repair Purple Toning Shampoo keeps your color cool with purple pigments that instantly tone down yellow and orange hues.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
10 Sep. 2025
-
Reduces Inflammation Beets are a concentrated source of plant pigments called betalains.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
9 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While some, perhaps most, of Spicoli’s behavior paints him as the imperfect role model, there is something to be gleaned from the surfer bro’s rebellion.—
Paul Fitzgerald,
Rolling Stone,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Now Blitzer’s reporting paints a vivid—and horrifying—portrait of the lives that have been upended by the Administration’s most cruel policies.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Dim sunlight smudges skies for only a few hours in the depth of winter.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, some groups think that getting artificial dyes out of the nation’s diet is not necessarily the best way to go.—
Louis Biscotti,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
-
The sloganeering has cajoled some of the nation’s biggest food brands to shift its offerings, curb the use of some dyes, and even redo recipes of iconic goods like Coca-Cola and day-to-day items like baby formula.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
10 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
And a new report from the same source suggests what colors the cases for the iPhone 17 Pro will include.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
-
This pint-sized loropetalum produces stunning purple foliage that colors the garden all year long.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
The National Alliance on Mental Health said barriers to services based on socioeconomic backgrounds, stigmas surrounding mental health and provider bias can cause inequalities in care and lead to misdiagnosis or people not receiving care at all.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Since then Baz has seemed determined to smash stigmas around pregnancy and breastfeeding.—
Elisabeth Sherman,
Parents,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Deadly holiday weekend mars broad crime drop The back-and-forth followed a Labor Day weekend of deadly violence in Chicago worse than in the previous two years, with seven people shot to death, according to preliminary Chicago Police Department reports.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Valuing a project at cost of production rather than value in an arm’s length sale—common in all economic statistics—especially mars Chinese data.—
Bill Conerly,
Forbes.com,
21 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Anyone who tints or colors their hair knows all about this.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
21 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stains. Accessed 12 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share