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
Social-media platforms are filled with short-form videos that clumsily grapple with stigmas surrounding height supremacy.
—
Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Despite the mountain of research supporting these interventions, stigmas and biases remain.
—Karen R. Studer, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Once again, Reuben can jumpstart dialogue and break down stigmas through her work.
—Cristina Velocci, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
When tetraploid and diploid plants are crossed, pollen from the diploids is brushed onto the stigmas of the tetraploids.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The market — deliberately not referred to as a pantry to slash stigmas around emergency food — opened in February through a partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
There’s still much to discover about the biology underlying these distinctions, but research suggests that hormonal fluctuations throughout life, differences in upper airway anatomy, and even social stigmas about how women should sleep are likely at play.
—Katie Camero, SELF, 16 Apr. 2026
On April 9, 1987, Princess Diana made history and broke stigmas by shaking hands with a man diagnosed with HIV without wearing gloves.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
The numbers are hard to verify because of stigmas surrounding eating disorders, but at least 6 percent of female athletes actively admit to their disordered eating.
—Eden Laase, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Brady Brickner-Wood, New Yorker, 4 June 2026
Despite the mountain of research supporting these interventions, stigmas and biases remain.
—Karen R. Studer, Sacbee.com, 1 June 2026
Once again, Reuben can jumpstart dialogue and break down stigmas through her work.
—Cristina Velocci, Flow Space, 11 May 2026
When tetraploid and diploid plants are crossed, pollen from the diploids is brushed onto the stigmas of the tetraploids.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 7 May 2026
The market — deliberately not referred to as a pantry to slash stigmas around emergency food — opened in February through a partnership between City Colleges of Chicago and the Greater Chicago Food Depository.
—Zareen Syed, Chicago Tribune, 29 Apr. 2026
There’s still much to discover about the biology underlying these distinctions, but research suggests that hormonal fluctuations throughout life, differences in upper airway anatomy, and even social stigmas about how women should sleep are likely at play.
—Katie Camero, SELF, 16 Apr. 2026
On April 9, 1987, Princess Diana made history and broke stigmas by shaking hands with a man diagnosed with HIV without wearing gloves.
—Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 9 Apr. 2026
The numbers are hard to verify because of stigmas surrounding eating disorders, but at least 6 percent of female athletes actively admit to their disordered eating.
—Eden Laase, New York Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stigmas
Noun
-
Use a baking soda paste to help with stubborn stains.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
3 June 2026
-
To wash a pet’s bed, vacuum it first to pick up fur, then spot-treat any stains before laundering it according to the care tag instructions.—
Jolie Kerr,
Better Homes & Gardens,
2 June 2026
Noun
-
One of the few blots on last summer’s Leeds copybook.—
Tim Spiers,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
-
The songs spread outward from Morris’ small voice like paper towel blots.—
Jayson Greene,
Pitchfork,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Stigmas.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stigmas. Accessed 8 Jun. 2026.
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