pallid

adjective

pal·​lid ˈpa-ləd 

1

: deficient in color : wan

a pallid countenance

2

: lacking sparkle or liveliness : dull

a pallid entertainment

The movie is a pallid version of the classic novel.

pallidly adverb

pallidness noun

Synonyms of pallid

• pale
• paled

Examples of pallid in a Sentence

The movie is a pallid version of the classic novel.

a pallid man who looked as though he'd never seen the sun

Recent Examples on the Web

His first pitch brought in between five and eight residents but was met with pallid responses. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 8 July 2026

Opponents of the proposal want the county to consider different locations for the park site, arguing the project may harm a variety of native species to the area, including the western spadefoot toad and pallid bats. — Hannah Elsmore, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026

His skin is always pallid, his expression pursed, his eyes vacant. — Scottie Andrew, CNN Money, 25 Apr. 2026

While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict. — Sue Halpern, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin pallidus "pale, colorless" — more at pale entry 1

First Known Use

1590, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for pallid

• ballad
• salad
• valid

Kids Definition

pallid

adjective

pal·​lid ˈpal-əd 

: lacking healthy color : pale

pallidly adverb