stigma

noun

ˈstig-mə How to pronounce stigma (audio)
Definition of stigmanext
as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace in "The Scarlet Letter," Hester Prynne bore the stigma of adultery

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 stigma Biddinger hopes the shrine at Queen of Heaven will help diminish the stigma that still often surrounds suicide. — Angie Leventis Lourgos, Chicago Tribune, 5 July 2026 Together with Kahan, the Stateside festival donated a portion of each ticket to Kahan’s nonprofit mental-health organization, the BusyHead Project, which aims to end the stigma around mental health and improve access to resources. — Rolling Stone, 5 July 2026 Experts say the misconceptions have often delayed diagnosis and brought stigma for children and their families. — ABC News, 4 July 2026 Poor and rich communities alike won’t like the stigma that some observers will attach to the disappearance of neighborhood schools. — U T Editorial Board, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for stigma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stigma
  1. stain
  2. taint
  3. guilt
  4. shame
  5. blot
Noun
  • Orkin recommends inspecting hotel rooms before unpacking by checking mattresses and furniture for live bugs, shed skins, tiny eggs or dark, ink-like stains.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 7 July 2026
  • Doctors have to order a particular kind of test that requires a special stain that turns the eggs of the parasite bright pink or orange so they can be seen under a microscope.
    — Brenda Goodman, CNN Money, 7 July 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • The prosecutor’s subjective good faith does not cure the retaliatory taint.
    — Antonio Pequeño IV, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
  • There’s a purity here, the course free from the taint of bureaucracy governing so much of the academy.
    — Peter Wayne Moe, Longreads, 26 Mar. 2026
Definition of taint
Noun
  • The instinct in every one of these cases is to freak out, to fire off denials and go quiet, and that instinct is almost always the wrong one, since silence reads as guilt and panic reads as relevance.
    — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
  • Burkhart chose not to testify in the guilt-innocence trial phase or at the punishment hearing.
    — Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 10 July 2026
Definition of guilt
Noun
  • With wonder and with great shame the yodel is an orphaned sound, a sound that turns the serenade toward an addressee that is destined to never hear it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 6 July 2026
  • Altitude is going to be a leveller, just a shame there are no West Bromwich Albion players in the England squad.
    — Phil Hay, New York Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of shame
Noun
  • The only blot on an otherwise solid opening week for the World Cup expansion loyalists.
    — Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 5 July 2026
  • Let the cleaner sit for 15 minutes and blot the excess, or cover it with a damp cloth and leave it for up to 24 hours for heavily soiled or old, set-in spots.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 26 June 2026
Definition of blot

Browse Nearby Words

stifling
stigma
stigmas
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Cite this Entry

“Stigma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stigma. Accessed 14 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on stigma

Nglish: Translation of stigma for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about stigma

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