Synonyms for stain
steɪnstain

English Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. stain

   To color is to impart a color desired or undesired, temporary or permanent, or, in the intransitive use, to assume a color in any way; as, he colored with shame and vexation. To dye is to impart a color intentionally and with a view to permanence, and especially so as to pervade the substance or fiber of that to which it is applied. To stain is primarily to discolor, to impart a color undesired and perhaps unintended, and which may or may not be permanent. Thus, a character "dyed in the wool" is one that has received some early, permanent, and pervading influence; a character stained with crime or guilt is debased and perverted. Stain is, however, used of giving an intended and perhaps pleasing color to wood, glass, etc., by an application of coloring-matter which enters the substance a little below the surface, in distinction from painting, in which coloring-matter is spread upon the surface; dyeing is generally said of wool, yarn, cloth, or similar materials which are dipped into the coloring liquid. Figuratively, a standard or a garment may be dyed with blood in honorable warfare; an assassin's weapon is stained with the blood of his victim. To tinge is to color slightly, and may also be used of giving a slight flavor, or a slight admixture of one ingredient or quality with another that is more pronounced.

   Synonyms:
   blot, color, discolor, disgrace, dishonor, dye, soil, spot, sully, tarnish, tinge, tint

Complete Dictionary of Synonyms and AntonymsRate these synonyms:5.0 / 1 vote

1. stainnoun

   Synonyms:
   color, dye, tinge, discoloration, blemish, blot, stigma, slur, shame, taint

2. stainverb

   Synonyms:
   dye, color, tinge, slur, shame, paint, blot, soil, sully, discolor, tarnish, taint, disgrace, dishonor, befoul, blemish, stigmatize

   Antonyms:
   purify, wash, cleanse, absolve, ornament, decorate, emblazon, signalize, honor

Princeton's WordNetRate these synonyms:1.0 / 1 vote

1. stain, discoloration, discolourationnoun

   a soiled or discolored appearance

   "the wine left a dark stain"

   Synonyms:
   smear, discoloration, grease, dirt, spot, discolouration, grunge, blot, smirch, soil, mark, filth, stigma, grime, brand

2. stainnoun

   (microscopy) a dye or other coloring material that is used in microscopy to make structures visible

   Synonyms:
   smear, discoloration, grease, dirt, spot, discolouration, grunge, blot, smirch, soil, mark, filth, stigma, grime, brand

3. dirt, filth, grime, soil, stain, grease, grungenoun

   the state of being covered with unclean things

   Synonyms:
   land, territory, soil, spot, mark, grunge, filthiness, skank, discolouration, lubricating oil, grease, obscenity, discoloration, brand, foulness, ground, vulgarism, shit, dirty word, grime, stigma, scandal, crap, smear, shite, turd, dirt, smut, filth, malicious gossip, nastiness, smirch, poop, crud, blot

4. mark, stigma, brand, stainnoun

   a symbol of disgrace or infamy

   "And the Lord set a mark upon Cain"--Genesis

   Synonyms:
   marking, soil, spot, mark, sucker, gull, steel, firebrand, target, crisscross, fall guy, grease, mug, score, discoloration, sign, make, brand, grade, smear, chump, dirt, grime, stigma, home run, marque, scratch, discolouration, brand name, filth, patsy, blade, grunge, fool, trade name, smirch, scrape, cross, print, scar, bell ringer, sword, bull's eye, marker, soft touch, blot

5. blot, smear, smirch, spot, stainverb

   an act that brings discredit to the person who does it

   "he made a huge blot on his copybook"

   Synonyms:
   vilification, billet, berth, blot, place, spot, mark, grunge, touch, dapple, discolouration, post, grease, spotlight, topographic point, point, bit, brand, position, smear, cytosmear, grime, stigma, fleck, slur, dirt, maculation, daub, speckle, malignment, smudge, filth, discoloration, smirch, situation, office, soil, pip, cytologic smear, patch

6. stainverb

   color with a liquid dye or tint

   "Stain this table a beautiful walnut color"; "people knew how to stain glass a beautiful blue in the middle ages"

   Synonyms:
   defile, sully, maculate, tarnish

7. stainverb

   produce or leave stains

   "Red wine stains the table cloth"

   Synonyms:
   defile, sully, maculate, tarnish

8. tarnish, stain, maculate, sully, defileverb

   make dirty or spotty, as by exposure to air; also used metaphorically

   "The silver was tarnished by the long exposure to the air"; "Her reputation was sullied after the affair with a married man"

   Synonyms:
   calumniate, maculate, asperse, tarnish, smear, denigrate, slander, defile, corrupt, sully, besmirch, smirch, defame, foul, taint, cloud, befoul

9. stainverb

   color for microscopic study

   "The laboratory worker dyed the specimen"

   Synonyms:
   defile, sully, maculate, tarnish

Matched Categories

1. • Appearance
   • Change
   • Coloring Material
   • Dirtiness
   • Dye
   • Microscopy
   • Symbol

Dictionary of English SynonymesRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. stainverb

   Synonyms:
   soil, sully, contaminate, tarnish, spot, blot, blemish, discolor

2. stainverb

   Synonyms:
   dye, tinge, color

3. stainverb

   Synonyms:
   disgrace, pollute, corrupt, defile, dishonor, debase, deprave, contaminate, taint

4. stainnoun

   Synonyms:
   blemish, tarnish, spot, blot, imperfection

5. stainnoun

   Synonyms:
   disgrace, dishonor, contamination, taint

Synonyms, Antonyms & Associated WordsRate these synonyms:0.0 / 0 votes

1. stainnoun

   Synonyms:
   blot, taint, discoloration, tarnish

2. stainverb

   Synonyms:
   soil, sully, defile, taint

PPDB, the paraphrase databaseRate these paraphrases:0.0 / 0 votes

1. List of paraphrases for "stain":

   blot, tache, spot, blemish, dye, staining, smudge, colouring, blob, colourant, hue, tincture, stains, coloration, patch, colouration, tint, taint, slick

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How to use stain in a sentence?

1. Danyal Balagopal Abdullah:

   Some of it is really petty, even the cigarette stain was a problem, i agree that our athletes should not have done it as they had been briefed and warned of the consequences. Despite the hefty fine, I don't think indiscipline in Incheon is a big issue.

2. Kamala Harris:

   Lynching is a reprehensible stain on this nation's history, as is The President. We'll never erase the pain and trauma of lynching, and to invoke that torture to whitewash your own corruption is disgraceful.

3. Brit Hume:

   This is a stain, I think, that is going to be a very long time wearing off, if indeed it ever does, i suspect that it never will.

4. Meredith Abbott:

   A well-maintained cutting board should release smells fairly easily, some foods just stain, like beets, I would suggest washing immediately after prepping those highly-staining foods.

5. President Obama:

   In one afternoon 50 years ago, so much of our turbulent history -- the stain of slavery and anguish of civil war; the yoke of segregation and tyranny of Jim Crow; the death of four little girls in Birmingham, and the dream of a Baptist preacher -- met on this bridge.