as in stain
a mark of guilt or disgrace
in "The Scarlet Letter," Hester Prynne bore the stigma of adultery
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stigma
The stigma of this experience meant that women often didn’t share their experiences.
—
Literary Hub, 4 May 2026
Another term for that self-organization is stigmergy (stigma = mark + ergon = work), which emphasizes how working entities leave signs in their environment that influence what their swarm-mates do next.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
The role of stigma Social stigma and biases from both healthcare providers and patients themselves can affect whether someone gets tested or seeks treatment for symptoms.
—Casey Pinto, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Lastly, there’s the issue of criminalization, which impacts not just access but patterns of societal stigma toward drugs.
—Jerel Ezell, STAT, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stigma
Literary Hub, 4 May 2026
Another term for that self-organization is stigmergy (stigma = mark + ergon = work), which emphasizes how working entities leave signs in their environment that influence what their swarm-mates do next.
—New Atlas, 1 May 2026
The role of stigma Social stigma and biases from both healthcare providers and patients themselves can affect whether someone gets tested or seeks treatment for symptoms.
—Casey Pinto, The Conversation, 1 May 2026
Lastly, there’s the issue of criminalization, which impacts not just access but patterns of societal stigma toward drugs.
—Jerel Ezell, STAT, 1 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for stigma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stigma
Noun
-
By that time, an EPA panel had determined the type of stain-resistant chemicals used by carpet manufacturers were likely carcinogenic.—
DYLAN JACKSON,
ABC News,
6 May 2026
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Photos showed large, blue stains on the counter and floor, indicating blood had been cleaned from those areas.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
So long-reaching was the taint of that shame, Kentucky’s Bill Spivey died in Costa Rica, a practical exile after he not only was run out of the college game, he was banned from the NBA, too.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
18 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
An arrest does not constitute a finding of guilt.—
Steve Metsch,
Chicago Tribune,
1 May 2026
-
And grief is not the same as guilt.—
Christine Pelisek,
PEOPLE,
1 May 2026
Noun
-
That’s a shame, particularly in an entertainment landscape dominated by recycled IP.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
4 May 2026
-
Even when precautions were necessary, presidents once felt shame about their distance from the people.—
Neil Flanagan,
The Atlantic,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Never rub or scrub the stained area; blot instead.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 May 2026
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Spot Clean Stains For sweat stains, urine or spills, blot the area with a clean cloth and a mild cleaning solution.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stigma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stigma. Accessed 7 May. 2026.
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