stain
noun
a discoloration produced by foreign matter having penetrated into or chemically reacted with a material; a spot not easily removed.
stained
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past participleof stain.past participle
A verb form used in perfect and passive verb constructions and that can also function as a modifier.
-
past tense formof stain.past tense
Used to describe completed actions or previous habitual actions.
stainnouna discoloration produced by foreign matter having penetrated into or chemically reacted with a material; a spot not easily removed.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Sweet carefully transfers the delicate tissue onto a glass slide, where selected cellular structures are stained to make them easier to distinguish under a powerful microscope.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 15, 2026
On the table in front of us is a fleece work jacket, covered in dog hair, along with a large, stained teddy bear and a single, dirty, grey slipper.
From BBC ● Sep. 24, 2026
Woodall returned at the cafe’s request, filming the stained, decaying ceiling and the water-catching buckets and coffee pots on the floor.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 22, 2026
They shimmer from the pages like bright bits of stained glass, and their names are equally enchanting: common blue, painted lady, Queen of Spain fritillary, black-veined white and northern brown argus, among others.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 11, 2026
A stained mattress topper, feathers spilling from its torn edge.
From "The City Beautiful" by Aden Polydoros
