as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mottle
New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Noun
Turn the mottle of ideas in your head into coherent communicable paragraphs.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Verb
The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
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Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
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Inadequate iron causes young leaves to appear yellow with green veins, while magnesium deficiency causes blotches or spots on older leaves.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
Verb
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There are more than 70 hits sprinkled like glitter across this tale of a pair of lovers and a cast of performers at the Moulin Rouge cabaret club.—
Scott Hocker,
TheWeek,
22 June 2026
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Custom Paul Smith deck chairs are positioned on the waterfront, a collection of board games offers a respite from the sun, and other witty, Paul Smith touches are sprinkled throughout the property.—
Jean E. Palmieri,
Footwear News,
22 June 2026
Noun
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But flecks of green were visible throughout the stadium as Algeria fans made their presence known as well.—
Pete Grathoff,
Kansas City Star,
17 June 2026
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There are also flecks of red embedded throughout the pattern.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
15 June 2026
Verb
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Security cameras dotted the property, and a guard called out to visitors who strayed too close.—
Leah Willingham,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
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The landscape is dotted with lighthouses, and climbing one feels like a rite of passage.—
Caitlin Gunther,
Condé Nast Traveler,
19 June 2026
Noun
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Fans are still aghast that Destiny 2 has reached the end of service, with the game not just wrapping up its content updates but also any level of support, with no more balance patches or even hotfixes to come, aside from one or two urgent ones.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
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At the time, certain teams wore BLM patches and stenciled the BLM logo onto the pitcher’s mounds.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Prosecutors said a boxcutter stained with what appeared to be blood was found in the car, and there were also possible bloodstains found on the steering wheel and exterior door.—
Evy Lewis,
Chicago Tribune,
22 June 2026
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At the site, an Associated Press reporter saw rubble and chunks of concrete stained with blood.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
Noun
-
Flash frames, scratches and specks of dust pop up randomly on the screen.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Last night, England played its first game of the tournament—a rematch against Croatia, in Dallas—and the defensive prowess was a speck on the horizon; both sides scored twice in a breathless first half.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
18 June 2026
Verb
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Turner and his 11-year-old son Brooks would go out and pepper Caskey with shot after shot.—
Steve Gorches,
The Orlando Sentinel,
17 June 2026
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Most of the match was played in Saudi Arabia’s half of the field during the second half, as the Uruguayan attackers peppered Saudi Arabia’s defense with shots.—
Adam Lichtenstein,
Sun Sentinel,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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