What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
discoloring
Example
The sun has been discoloring the curtains in the living room. [discoloring: verb]
Example
The old photographs are discoloring and fading away. [discoloring: present participle]
stain
Example
I spilled red wine on my shirt and now there's a stain. [stain: noun]
Example
The coffee stained the tablecloth and it won't come out. [stained: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Stain is more commonly used than discoloring in everyday language. Stain is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while discoloring is less common and refers to a more general change in color.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between discoloring and stain?
Both discoloring and stain are neutral in terms of formality and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.
