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stain

stain

224 1.4
A mark that makes something a different color and is hard to remove
  • noun
  • /steɪn/
translation icon : mancha
  • That looks like a stain on your rug.
  • remove stains
  • wine stain
  • blood stain

I've just realized I've not washed that stain off my hand.

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Examples

  • Do you know how many stains and smells there are in this very room?

  • Even the coffee stains came off just with soap and water.

  • The result would just be one big stain on your light brown shoe.

  • I'm just going to take off this stain to show you how it looks.

  • Buildings cleaned of the smoke stain were in high contrast to those not cleaned.

    Academic text (1994)
  • Hence I always have these little stains on my hands now.

  • Now let's take a look at that nasty salsa stain.

  • Every garment had a food stain, was torn, or too wrinkled to wear.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • I've just realized I've not washed that stain off my hand.

  • The red wine left a noticeable stain on the white tablecloth.

Synonyms

mark
vsstain
468 1.0

A visible line, spot, scratch, or stain on a surface

is specifically a discolored patch usually difficult to remove
smudge
vsstain
30 1.9

A dirty mark on something that makes it look untidy

is a discolored patch that may be deeper than surface dirt
discoloration
vsstain
  • US
21 4.4

A change in color that makes something look faded or stained

is a distinct patch of changed color rather than general fading
blemish
vsstain
15 3.9

A small mark that spoils the look of skin or an object

is a discoloring patch rather than a general surface imperfection
smear
vsstain
14 4.1

A messy mark left on a surface by a substance

is a more fixed discoloration rather than a smeared substance
mar
vsstain
4 8.0

A small mark or flaw that spoils how something looks

is specifically a stubborn discolored patch rather than any flaw
tache
vsstain
  • Archaic
1 9.9

A small spot or stain on a surface

is a patch of discoloration that is often hard to remove
dapple
vsstain
1 8.4

A small patch of a different color on something

is an unwanted discoloration patch rather than a natural color pattern
smirch
vsstain
  • Archaic
9.8

A dirty mark that spoils the look of clothing or fabric

is a discoloring patch rather than simply removable surface dirt
maculation
vsstain
9.9

The state of being marked with spots or stains

is a single patch of discoloration rather than overall spotting

Antonyms

The state of being completely clean and free of marks or stains

Compounds

2 3.3

A dark mark on clothes or a surface made by oil that is hard to remove

Gram stain
  • Specialized
1 5.1

A lab test that uses dyes and a microscope to show if bacteria keep a purple colour

Gram's stain
  • Specialized
1 4.8

A lab method that uses dye to show whether bacteria keep or lose the dye

1 1.1

A mark on something made by wet mud

A mark on a shirt or carpet that cannot be removed

shit stain
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A rude word for a lasting mark that hurts someone's reputation

pet stain
  • NSFW
2.4

A mark on carpet or furniture made by an animal, often from pee

port-wine stain
  • Specialized
6.6

A flat pink or purple birthmark on the skin caused by too many small blood vessels

How Noticeable

blotch
4 3.9
stain
224 1.4
to smudge
30 3.7
mark
468 1.0
spot
297 1.0
speck
66 1.3

Surface Forms

stain singular
stains plural

Etymology

A stain on clothes keeps the original sense of 'mark' — it is a patch of colour that is often hard to remove, which is why we call such a lasting patch a 'stain'.