variants
or stigmata
as in stains
a mark of guilt or disgrace
in "The Scarlet Letter," Hester Prynne bore the stigma of adultery
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Recent Examples of stigmas
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
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
Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
The associated stigmas that come alongside having an addiction and needing help are both deterrents for acknowledging the problem and seeking support.
—Sarah Allen Benton, SELF, 23 Dec. 2025
Since its creation in 1998 in Mexico City, the Festival Iberoamericano de Cultura Musical, better known as Vive Latino, has had a transgressive personality that challenges stigmas.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2025
Lachi advocates for disability culture and aims to break stigmas through her music and public speaking.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
The trend is helping reverse stigmas against community college that infiltrated society, with some seeing the institutions as lower value than four-year universities, experts note.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 14 Nov. 2025
People saw that with their own eyes, and slowly, these stigmas started to go away.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 10 Jan. 2026
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
Shame and those social stigmas are the enemies of progress to solutions and ultimately a cure.
—Jordana Comiter, PEOPLE, 27 Dec. 2025
The associated stigmas that come alongside having an addiction and needing help are both deterrents for acknowledging the problem and seeking support.
—Sarah Allen Benton, SELF, 23 Dec. 2025
Since its creation in 1998 in Mexico City, the Festival Iberoamericano de Cultura Musical, better known as Vive Latino, has had a transgressive personality that challenges stigmas.
—Natalia Cano, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2025
Lachi advocates for disability culture and aims to break stigmas through her music and public speaking.
—Kathleen Wong, USA Today, 28 Nov. 2025
The trend is helping reverse stigmas against community college that infiltrated society, with some seeing the institutions as lower value than four-year universities, experts note.
—Lexi Lonas Cochran, The Hill, 14 Nov. 2025
People saw that with their own eyes, and slowly, these stigmas started to go away.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stigmas
stains
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
Cite this Entry
“Stigmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stigmas. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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