1
as in to taint
to affect slightly with something morally bad or undesirable
her poor choice of companions stained her reputation somewhat
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paint
to give color or a different color to
stained the table to look like cherry
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to dirty
to make dirty
oil stained his work pants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in blot
a mark of guilt or disgrace
the stain of this cowardly act would haunt him for the rest of his career
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of stain
Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
The Chuckwalla monument begins in the west around Painted Canyon, an area where the mountainside is stained deep red, pink, green and gray.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
The best way to treat common carpet stains: Step by step
What’s the best way to clean pet stains from carpet?
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stain 
Verb
Even if your pet accidentally stains your carpet, this cleaner easily removes the mess.
—Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 14 Jan. 2025
The Chuckwalla monument begins in the west around Painted Canyon, an area where the mountainside is stained deep red, pink, green and gray.
—Lila Seidman, Los Angeles Times, 12 Jan. 2025
Noun
This mat also held up to pet stains—after tossing it in the wash, there was no change in appearance or texture.
—Moriah Mason, Southern Living, 10 Jan. 2025
The best way to treat common carpet stains: Step by step
What’s the best way to clean pet stains from carpet?
—Jennifer Beck Goldblatt, Architectural Digest, 9 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
Verb
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In a 2021 study in the Journal of Urban Health, researchers surveyed adult residents of Flint, Michigan, where the water was known to have been tainted with lead.—
Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi,
Discover Magazine,
24 Jan. 2025
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The goal is not to taint your hard work with someone whose values are the polar opposite to yours.—
Goro Gupta,
Forbes,
23 Jan. 2025
Verb
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But, while insightful, these artifacts don’t always paint a complete picture of an ancient creature’s diet or behavior.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
22 Jan. 2025
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The evidence, however, reveals a very different picture than the violent world Trump has painted for his audiences.—
London School of Economics,
Forbes,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Instead of dirtying a larger pot for your supporting dishes, this quaint cooker will come in handy for quick (or slower simmering) concoctions while matching your kitchen atmosphere.—
Sophia Beams,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2025
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Having dirtied himself in the catacombs beneath the papacy’s home, our scrappy archaeologist emerges into none other than a resplendent re-creation of the Sistine Chapel.—
Lewis Gordon,
Vulture,
18 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
Unfair to ex-felons One of the worst blots on Bondi’s résumé was one of her first acts as attorney general.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
14 Jan. 2025
-
Red Wine or Dark-Colored Food Stains As quickly as possible, lift away any solids and blot, blot, blot away the moisture.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
28 Oct. 2024
Noun
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But that light is also absorbed by melanin, or pigment, in the skin.—
Erika Edwards,
NBC News,
19 Jan. 2025
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Certified colors are usually synthetic dyes and pigments, and they're required to undergo a chemical analysis and batch certification before they're approved.—
Sydney Wingfield,
Better Homes & Gardens,
18 Jan. 2025
Verb
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However, 2017 first-round pick Malik Hooker’s time in Indianapolis was marred by a season-ending knee and Achilles injuries leading the team to decline the safety’s fifth-year option.—
James Boyd,
The Athletic,
16 Jan. 2025
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Employers stuck the landing in 2024, finishing the year with a bounce of hiring after a summer slowdown and an autumn marred by disruption.—
Lydia DePillis,
New York Times,
10 Jan. 2025
Verb
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All the characters’ interactions are colored by the fact that some voted to leave while others voted to stay — or at least waited to leave until the cash (and bodies) piled up.—
Meredith Blake,
Los Angeles Times,
24 Jan. 2025
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Who knows whether the campaign trail will resume, or how much the ceremony will be colored by catastrophe.—
Michael Schulman,
The New Yorker,
22 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The charred footprint of the Eaton fire, which blackened more than 14,000 acres, is the most worrisome.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
26 Jan. 2025
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In one corner, fires from ancient rituals had left the limestone ceiling blackened by soot.—
Gina DeCaprio Vercesi,
Travel + Leisure,
23 Jan. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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