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
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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
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Recent Examples of stains
Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
And for particularly stubborn stains, carefully scrape them off with a razor blade.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors said officers found Saenz with blood stains on his shirt, his wife with a gunshot wound to her back and the gun used in the shooting on Saenz’s bed.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Baking soda, a fine white powder, can neutralize acidic carpet stains, absorb odors, and act as a gentle abrasive to help loosen and lift dirt and other debris.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Blood still regularly stains the floors of the Coliseum’s rings.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
The combination of the formula's acidic component, which dissolves stains and the mild abrasive, which lifts the texture, effectively revives old cookware.
—Maria Sabella, The Spruce, 27 Jan. 2026
And for particularly stubborn stains, carefully scrape them off with a razor blade.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Jan. 2026
Prosecutors said officers found Saenz with blood stains on his shirt, his wife with a gunshot wound to her back and the gun used in the shooting on Saenz’s bed.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 27 Jan. 2026
Baking soda, a fine white powder, can neutralize acidic carpet stains, absorb odors, and act as a gentle abrasive to help loosen and lift dirt and other debris.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 11 Jan. 2026
Season with salt and lots of pepper and bring to a simmer over medium heat, whisking often, until the turmeric stains the mixture a wonderful golden color and the liquid starts to steam, about 3 minutes.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Nov. 2025
Blood still regularly stains the floors of the Coliseum’s rings.
—Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stains
Noun
-
Meanwhile, mineral pigments reflect light, blurring imperfections and providing semi-sheer coverage.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Mineral pigments and kaolin clay add believable volume without stiffness, thanks to panthenol that conditions each hair.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The film centered on the Environmental Protection Agency encasing the Simpsons’ hometown of Springfield in a dome after Homer taints the area’s water supply.—
Ryan Gajewski,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The podcast paints Jordan as an increasingly controlling and abusive on-and-off-again boyfriend of Arceneaux's who at one point gave her three pages of rules to follow, like sharing social media passwords and her location.—
Amanda Lee Myers,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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As a weather event nears, the NWS’ high resolution guidance paints a clearer picture, Prater said.—
Brayden Garcia,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Cleaning dirt and smudges off window glass helps sunlight penetrate into your home and will boost the amount of light that’s available to your houseplants.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
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Dim sunlight smudges skies for only a few hours in the depth of winter.—
Tom Vanden Brook,
USA Today,
13 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Wight says that this process can be done using a small Q-tip to transfer pollen from the anthers to the stigmas.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
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Many japonica camellias, in the manner of other botanical hybrids, are sterile with their yellow, thread-like stamens and stigmas either absent or invisible.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
There are no artificial flavors, colors or dyes in the ingredients, and these gas drops include a plastic dispenser for easy administration.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
22 Jan. 2026
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Their technology uses photosensitive dyes dispersed in a co-extruded polymer matrix to create a reflective or fluorescent optical media.—
Thomas Coughlin,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Verb
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General Daily Insight for January 04, 2026 Warm confidence colors our choices and conversations.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
4 Jan. 2026
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That just colors everything so differently.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
29 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The picture exudes both grace and vulnerability, and hints at imperfection by way of a disconcerting, coral-like wrinkle that mars the foot’s heel.—
Chris Wiley,
New Yorker,
20 Dec. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Stains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stains. Accessed 29 Jan. 2026.
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