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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to paint
to give color or a different color to
stained the table to look like cherry
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 stain
Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2025
The complaint states that Andrea Liss, who owns an Evanston design firm, contends that employees of Lake Forest’s Craig Bergmann Landscape Design stained the outdoor terrace at her business while attempting to clean it last year.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 12 May 2025
The combination of heat and moisture does an excellent job of lifting stains and layers of grime.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Verb
The problem was that my wedding was two weeks after this prom and the dress got stained and the hem ripped.
—Sherry Kuehl, Kansas City Star, 13 May 2025
The complaint states that Andrea Liss, who owns an Evanston design firm, contends that employees of Lake Forest’s Craig Bergmann Landscape Design stained the outdoor terrace at her business while attempting to clean it last year.
—Daniel I. Dorfman, Chicago Tribune, 12 May 2025
Noun
The parents told him that the stains started appearing shortly after the town built a communal water pipeline to a warm spring about 5 miles away.
—Angela Palermo, Idaho Statesman, 12 May 2025
The combination of heat and moisture does an excellent job of lifting stains and layers of grime.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
Verb
-
About 26,500 of those who consume food tainted by salmonella are hospitalized.—
Howard Cohen,
Miami Herald,
20 May 2025
-
The appointment of Johnson came at the end of a contentious and at times emotional process that critics argued lacked transparency and was tainted by political influence.—
Kate Payne,
The Orlando Sentinel,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Sleek, flat-panel cabinets (painted in Dylan by Portola Paints) contrast with the irregular zellige tile backsplash by Zia Tile.—
Lauren Bengtson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
22 May 2025
-
But that wouldn’t happen even if Chardin, who lived 1699 to 1779 in Paris, painted the objects in the middle of an earthquake.—
James Russell,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
21 May 2025
Verb
-
Crème Brûlée Steve Granitz Crème brûlée is like butter blonde, but dirtied up a bit for a browned, warm tint.—
Audrey Noble,
Vogue,
2 May 2025
-
He’s come through with timely hits, dirtied his uniform on the bases and made an impact with his arm in the outfield.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
30 Apr. 2025
Noun
-
That brings us to that one blot on Wodehouse’s life.—
Michael Hiltzik,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Apr. 2025
-
The ink blots of the past 20 years are dried all over Metal Gear Solid Delta.—
Ashley Bardhan,
Rolling Stone,
6 Feb. 2025
Noun
-
Specialists will examine the image to see if there are any remnants of pigment that could be used to determine the colors once marking Victory’s body.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
21 May 2025
-
The repetitive motion of brushstrokes, the unpredictability of pigment spreading in water, and the visual appeal of translucent layers all contribute to a meditative experience.—
Matt Rozo,
Mercury News,
14 May 2025
Verb
-
However, relatively decent growth fueled by Putin's record military spending has been marred by inflation and a worker shortage impacted by those fleeing the draft and troop losses in Ukraine as experts warn of longer terms problems for the economy.—
Brendan Cole,
MSNBC Newsweek,
31 May 2025
-
Albania, which has started full membership negotiations with the European Union, has been plagued in its post-communist era with corruption that has marred its democratic, economic and social development.—
Llazar Semini,
Los Angeles Times,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
Leading the lineup is the Dragon Flame-Grilled Whopper, a fiery twist on the classic, stacked with crispy bacon, cheese, fresh veggies and classic condiments, all served on a red-and-orange-marbled bun colored with natural spices and veggies.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
23 May 2025
-
Bear in mind, this is coming from someone who’s worked as a professional journalist since before iPhones existed, so my perspective is not only colored by my experience as a writer but also from having tried out a slew of different apps in an effort to find an X replacement.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
-
Some of the jewel beetle wings had their original green-yellow-red hues while others had blackened.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
22 May 2025
-
If a vigorous plant begins to blacken at the top or whole branches are dying back, this is a sign that something is wrong.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
10 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share