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
Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
The team measured the number of microplastic particles in each sample by staining the particles red and counting them under a microscope, studying their chemical composition using a technique known as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Its abrasive texture is great for scrubbing away tough stains.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Verb
Johnson’s clothes were ripped and stained with blood and his cellphone was stolen.
—Pj Green, Kansas City Star, 26 Mar. 2025
The team measured the number of microplastic particles in each sample by staining the particles red and counting them under a microscope, studying their chemical composition using a technique known as Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy.
—Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
The office Swihart is moving into has stained glass blocks and bricks that appear to have had votive candles on them, based on stains on the bottom of some bricks.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 29 Mar. 2025
Its abrasive texture is great for scrubbing away tough stains.
—Halee Miller Van Ryswyk, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for stain
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stain
Verb
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In its letter, the committee said that Albanese’s rhetoric tainted both the U.N. as an institution and her own position.—
Rachel Wolf,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Cena's victory, following Mysterio's earlier match, tainted Mysterio's win and shifted focus to Cena's confrontation with the returning CM Punk, overshadowing Mysterio's moment.—
Newsweek Staff,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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To complete her look, Beyoncé painted her nails blue and accessorized with minimal jewelry.—
Emy LaCroix,
People.com,
4 Apr. 2025
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Republicans like Dhillon Republicans painted a very different picture of Dhillon and her potential mission.—
David Lightman,
Sacbee.com,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Grease dirtied the handles of the ovens, the microwave ovens and the coolers.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
14 Feb. 2025
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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
Noun
-
People have long claimed to see images in those drip paintings, but the phenomenon is usually dismissed by art critics as a trick of human perception, much like the fractal edges of Rorschach ink blots can fool the eye and mind.—
Ars Technica,
Ars Technica,
28 Feb. 2025
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Even in victory, there had to be a blot in the Leeds copybook.—
Beren Cross,
The Athletic,
16 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Later, colored technical ceramic was developed — but the first blue tone, used by the likes of Richard Mille, IWC, Omega and Hublot, was a bold cobalt, the only pigment then on the market.—
Roberta Naas,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2025
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As the skin heals, the pigment naturally returns over time.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The dashboard was part of an extended pressure campaign from Buttigieg, who, during his tenure in the Biden administration, publicly challenged the major carriers to improve service and transparency—particularly after a summer marred by cancellations and flight delays.—
Bailey Berg,
AFAR Media,
8 Apr. 2025
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Indeed, Delaney’s personal life has been marred by what appears to be a pretty entrenched drinking problem, which has affected her career and led to very un-Diane Russell-like brushes with the law, the Daily Mail and other outlets have reported.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
1 Apr. 2025
Verb
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The rest of the blocks should be colored differently than these 10.—
Catherine Brock,
Forbes.com,
7 Apr. 2025
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The reception of the fourth season was colored by the lingering resonance of the Jan. 6 insurrection, by the still vivid image of American landmarks being desecrated by costumed citizens.—
Daniel Fienberg,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Unlike a total solar eclipse, when the disk of the sun is completely blackened, an eclipsed moon does not vanish completely from the sky.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
TIME,
11 Mar. 2025
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But the negro resents and utterly repudiates the effort to blacken his good name by asserting that assaults upon women are peculiar to his race.—
Liz Tracey,
JSTOR Daily,
21 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Stain.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stain. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.
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