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
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Recent Examples of stains
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
The hilarious post, shared earlier in October by u/time4stew, shows the guilty tuxedo cat laying on the floor with his paws stretched out, as his owner holds him down to photograph his stains.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Soak for the same length of time and gently rub the fibers together to release dirt and tough stains.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025
Favorite Lip Stains Wear time aside, stains offer a dealer’s choice approach to color payoff.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2025
Wooden coffee mug trees can have a variety of stains or finishes that range from light tan to deep brown.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Vann R. Newkirk Ii, The Atlantic, 16 Sep. 2025
Noun
Combine equal parts vinegar and water in a small bowl, then dampen a cloth with the solution and rub it over the stains.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
The hilarious post, shared earlier in October by u/time4stew, shows the guilty tuxedo cat laying on the floor with his paws stretched out, as his owner holds him down to photograph his stains.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Oct. 2025
Soak for the same length of time and gently rub the fibers together to release dirt and tough stains.
—Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Oct. 2025
Favorite Lip Stains Wear time aside, stains offer a dealer’s choice approach to color payoff.
—Iman Balagam, Vogue, 17 Oct. 2025
Wooden coffee mug trees can have a variety of stains or finishes that range from light tan to deep brown.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
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
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Instead of relying on pigments or coatings, LightRipple manipulates reflection and refraction at the microscopic level, producing a dynamic play of gold and shadow that shifts subtly as the case moves.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
12 Oct. 2025
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Maple leaves, for instance, get their vivid reds and deep purples from anthocyanins, pigments that form when sugars accumulate after growth stops in fall.—
Humberto Basilio,
Scientific American,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
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 Free Press, which Paramount bought for about $150 million, paints itself as a voice of the center but draws its energy from the bitter US culture wars.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
13 Oct. 2025
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There are 95-99% levels, but real-world data paints a completely different picture.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Oct. 2025
Verb
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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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Another asked how to combat stigmas against religions that come from indigenous cultures, such as Yorùbá or Vodou.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
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The dinners aim to break down racial and neighborhood stigmas in Louisville.—
Maggie Menderski,
Louisville Courier Journal,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kennedy has pressured companies to stop using synthetic food dyes, prompting red states to pass food-dye regulations of their own.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
16 Oct. 2025
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From there the conversation went on to the topic of misinformation and disinformation about Covid, circumcision, baby formula and food dyes.—
Greg Evans,
Deadline,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
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First, the molds are cleaned and waxed, then the staff will review the work order to understand which colors the customer wants.—
Kristin Shaw,
Popular Science,
24 Sep. 2025
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The survivors were scattered around the world, and even over a century later, the tragedy still colors their view of their ancestral region.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Stains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stains. Accessed 19 Oct. 2025.
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