as in iridescent
having a rainbowlike play of colors
once given away as a cheap prize at carnivals, this opalescent glass is now highly prized by collectors
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of opalescent
Mike Navarro, an oceanographer at the University of Alaska Southeast, studied opalescent squids during his PhD at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
—
Jules Jacobs, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
The majestic stillness of the full beaver moon, hovering pink and opalescent in the horizon.
—Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
The Ellipse required 90 cm of gold wire shaped by hand and 20 shades of opaque and opalescent enamel, while the table clock used over 16 m of gold wire in three different widths and 45 shades of mainly translucent enamel mixed with some semi-translucent or opaque versions of the material.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2025
Nor could anyone ever be a better pal to Leslie than Ann, opalescent tree shark.
—Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opalescent
Jules Jacobs, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025
The majestic stillness of the full beaver moon, hovering pink and opalescent in the horizon.
—Jennifer Hope Choi, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Apr. 2025
The Ellipse required 90 cm of gold wire shaped by hand and 20 shades of opaque and opalescent enamel, while the table clock used over 16 m of gold wire in three different widths and 45 shades of mainly translucent enamel mixed with some semi-translucent or opaque versions of the material.
—Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2025
Nor could anyone ever be a better pal to Leslie than Ann, opalescent tree shark.
—Kevin Jacobsen, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for opalescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opalescent
Adjective
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But this being a Phantom, no ordinary paint was used; the clear coat was infused with iridescent particles of crushed glass to give a shimmering finish called Super Champagne Crystal.—
Howard Walker,
Robb Report,
22 Oct. 2025
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Opal, which is easily the most mystical, with its whimsical and cloud-like white, blue, and iridescent green swirls of color, is the crystalline form of silica and mineraloid found in rocks.—
Gina Vaynshteyn,
StyleCaster,
9 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Quahogs produce non-nacreous, porcelainlike pearls, according to the Gemological Institute of America.—
Shannon Marvel McNaught,
USA TODAY,
16 Aug. 2022
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Markov processes include an element of randomness—in this case, the thickness of the outermost nacreous layer—but one that can be influenced by the system’s history.—
Leila Sloman,
Popular Mechanics,
28 Feb. 2022
Adjective
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Your Immune System Improves Eating a variety of colorful fruits and vegetables, such as beets, is a great way to support your natural immunity.—
Lauren Panoff,
Verywell Health,
4 Nov. 2025
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SpongeBob is back, as are the colorful critters living in Zootopia.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
4 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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It can even be combined with matte or pearlescent polishes to achieve dimensional contrasts.—
Laura Solla,
Glamour,
25 Oct. 2025
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Hamilton bought his pearlescent glossy white unit in 2018.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
21 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Opalescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opalescent. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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