matte

variants: or matt

Definition of matte

(Entry 1 of 3)

variant spellings of mat entry 3 1

matte

adjective

\ ˈmat

variants: or less commonly mat or matt

Definition of matte (Entry 2 of 3)

: lacking or deprived of luster (see luster entry 2 sense 1) or gloss: such as

a : having a usually smooth even surface free from shine or highlights matte metals a matte finish

b : having a rough or granular (see granular sense 1) surface

matte

noun

\ ˈmat

Definition of matte (Entry 3 of 3)

1 : a crude mixture of sulfides formed in smelting sulfide ores of metals (such as copper, lead, or nickel)

2 : a motion-picture effect in which part of a scene is blocked out and later replaced by footage containing other material (such as a background painting)

Synonyms & Antonyms Example Sentences Learn More about matte

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Synonyms & Antonyms for matte

Synonyms: Adjective

dim, dull, dulled, flat, lusterless

Antonyms: Adjective

glossy, lustrous, shiny, sleek

Examples of matte in a Sentence

Adjective

a photograph with a matte finish I chose a paint with a matte finish so the walls wouldn't be too shiny.

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

There’s also a bronzer compact called Give Me Life and the shade is a soft, matte golden bronze that can be used all over or just as a contour. — Shannon Barbour, The Cut, "Who’s Ready for ‘Sandy Crotch’ Eye Shadow?," 31 May 2018 To achieve a soft, matte effect, the lightweight mousse glides on and sets with a powdery matte finish that looks and feels like skin. — Marissa Miller, Teen Vogue, "Giorgio Armani Beauty Face Fabric Is Officially Back," 15 Mar. 2018 The details are humble and un-flashy, too; buttery soft, matte leather, a notch lapel, a patch chest pocket, and a single breasted closure. — Megan Gustashaw, GQ, "Daniel Craig's Other Big News: He's Bringing Back the Leather Blazer," 16 Aug. 2017 The formula is really hydrating and leaves behind a satin finish that isn't too matte or too glossy. — Carly Cardellino, Cosmopolitan, "The Hottest Fall Lip Colors To Wear Now," 11 Nov. 2013

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

And those shades are made up of highly pigmented mattes and remarkably blendable shimmers and metallics. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Exclusive: Huda Kattan Talks Inspiration and Tips for Huda Beauty’s New Neon Obsessions Palettes," 28 May 2019 The Naked Reloaded includes deep, luxurious shades in rich mattes and UD's trademark pearly shimmers. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "Urban Decay is Launching the Naked Reloaded Palette With Bigger Eyeshadow Pans," 13 Feb. 2019 Most unusual material used: The most unusual material used in the collection is a layer of striped cotton shirting and knitted twine, which is bonded by a layer of clear matte heat press film to create one sturdy and waterproof material. — Vogue, "19 FIT, Pratt, and Parsons 2019 Graduates on Their Collections and the Future of Fashion," 22 May 2019 For this shoe blast from the past, Melissa unveiled eight new colors of the sandal, in transparent and matte variations, and each pair retails for $75. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Melissa Released a Vegan-Friendly Collection of Jelly Shoes," 21 May 2019 In addition to the decent graphics card, this laptop features a 15.6-inch matte IPS display that pushes a 1080p resolution, an 8th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage via a 7,200RPM spinning drive. — Cameron Faulkner, The Verge, "At $599, HP’s gaming laptop is an even better deal for casual gamers," 18 Dec. 2018 The highlighter is also available in a matte and shimmer formula. — Lauren Rearick, Teen Vogue, "Kylie Jenner Announced a Kylie Cosmetics Eyebrow Line Called Kybrow," 23 Apr. 2019 Indeed, a single paint color can look completely different based on the finish, from matte to glossy and every sheen in between. — Hadley Mendelsohn, House Beautiful, "A Paint Expert's Simple Guide to Choosing the Right Paint Finish," 4 Mar. 2019 The star of the collection is arguably the Eyeshadow Palette (above), which includes 15 colors — mostly shimmers with a few mattes thrown in — for just $20. — Marci Robin, Allure, "Ulta and Marvel Are Launching an Avengers Makeup Collection, and the Prices Are Heroic," 31 Mar. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'matte.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.