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
Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Get rid of tough stains on carpet and upholstery with this compact, portable cleaner.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
There was no apparent crime scene, no police tape or obvious blood stains to be found.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
The 'cloud lip' trend Lip stains have been all the rage for a few years with beauty influencers on TikTok and other social media platforms.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
West is facing first- and second-degree assault charges after allegedly punching a contractor during a dispute over stains in the carpet of his home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Dyson’s powerful motor sucks up everything from dirt and dust to spills and stains on carpet, tile, and hardwood flooring using a smart sensor to indicate dirt levels.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
Officers also reportedly saw blood stains on Soto’s shoes, jacket, and shirt.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
The geometric tulip motif has a vintage look that still feels aligned with today’s trends and the washable jute and wool blend won’t pick up dirt or stains as easily as more delicate fibers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2026
Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2026
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
Noun
Roborock Robot Vacuum and Mop Deals The Roborock Q10 S5+ is a heavy-hitting two-in-one vacuum and mop that tackles stubborn stains and deep carpet debris with a massive 10,000Pa suction and sonic mopping that scrubs 3,000 times per minute.
—Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Get rid of tough stains on carpet and upholstery with this compact, portable cleaner.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2026
There was no apparent crime scene, no police tape or obvious blood stains to be found.
—Kendrick Calfee, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026
The 'cloud lip' trend Lip stains have been all the rage for a few years with beauty influencers on TikTok and other social media platforms.
—Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 20 Mar. 2026
West is facing first- and second-degree assault charges after allegedly punching a contractor during a dispute over stains in the carpet of his home in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.
—Adam Thompson, CBS News, 19 Mar. 2026
Dyson’s powerful motor sucks up everything from dirt and dust to spills and stains on carpet, tile, and hardwood flooring using a smart sensor to indicate dirt levels.
—Grace McCarty, Glamour, 18 Mar. 2026
Officers also reportedly saw blood stains on Soto’s shoes, jacket, and shirt.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 18 Mar. 2026
The geometric tulip motif has a vintage look that still feels aligned with today’s trends and the washable jute and wool blend won’t pick up dirt or stains as easily as more delicate fibers.
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 17 Mar. 2026
Verb
Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.
—Bobby Ghosh, Time, 5 Mar. 2026
The piercing doesn't necessarily damage the trees, but their excrement, which is high in sugar, stains the trees and blocks photosynthesis, which eventually suffocates the trees, the researchers said.
—Julia Jacobo, ABC News, 9 Feb. 2026
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
-
These blue-absorbing pigments can sometimes cause people to see a red dot called Maxwell’s spot in the center of their vision.—
Nora Bradford,
Scientific American,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Pink and red roses get their color from anthocyanin pigments, whereas yellow roses get theirs from carotenoid pigments.—
Joshua Siskin,
Oc Register,
21 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
The sarcasm taints the question but doesn’t invalidate it.—
Sara Holdren,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
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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 study’s findings are in line with existing research that paints a grim picture of the statewide housing crisis, said Carolina Reid, an associate professor of city and regional planning at UC Berkeley.—
Itzel Luna,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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The official police and legal record, on the other hand, paints a much more damning picture of Bolsonaro’s participation in a coup plot.—
Anthony W. Pereira,
The Conversation,
27 Mar. 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
-
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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The organization helps empower students to lobby college administrators for their needs, including expanding mental health services and improving messages to counter the lasting stigmas of seeking help.—
Suzette Hackney,
USA Today,
27 Feb. 2026
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Furthermore, and as part of its IWD initiatives, the Alo Foundation is supporting The Mental Health Coalition to reach millions of women with accessible and proven mental health resources alongside educational content to help reduce mental stigmas.—
Kanika Talwar,
Footwear News,
26 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel, D-Encino, has made headlines in the past few years for authoring bills that have cracked down on sweets with synthetic dyes like Skittles and instituted a timeline for getting healthier food in public schools.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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Vanicream has built its reputation on formulas that strip out many of the ingredients most likely to cause reactions—things like fragrance, dyes, lanolin, parabens, and formaldehyde releasers.—
Hana Hong,
Glamour,
25 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Sensing Scarlet’s resolve to destroy him, Claudius poisons her.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 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
-
Musicians live really complicated lives — performing late at night, for instance, colors your day-to-day existence.—
Daniel D'Addario,
Variety,
13 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stains. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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