pearly

adjective \ ˈpər-lē \

|Updated on: 9 Jun 2018

Examples: pearly in a Sentence

Definition of pearly

pearlier; pearliest

1 : resembling, containing, or adorned with pearls or mother-of-pearl

2 : highly precious

See pearly defined for English-language learners

See pearly defined for kids

Examples of pearly in a Sentence

Her teeth were pearly white.

Recent Examples of pearly from the Web

There's a lot of skill that goes into properly flashing those pearly whites and Bella Hadid is learning this the hard way.

— shannon carlin, refinery29.com, "Why Is Everyone Obsessed With Bella Hadid Learning How To Smile?," 14 May 2018
Diana's thick bangs were a bold move, sure, but the combination of her glowing skin, her touchably feathered hair, and that pearly white smile all added up to effortless glamour.

— sam escobar, Allure, "How Meghan Markle’s Hair & Makeup Compares to the Bridal Looks of Kate Middleton and Princess Diana," 19 May 2018
Without using bleaching chemicals, harsh charcoals, or gnarly dyes (which can have negative effects on your teeth), this toothpaste's naturally derived silicas scrub away the stains that make your whites look less than pearly.

— barret wertz, GQ, "The Best Teeth-Whitening Products for Any Budget," 14 May 2018
The Casa Grande Dispatch reports the bodies of 2-year-old Lorenzo Velasquez and 9-month-old Brooklyn Velasquez were laid beside each other in the same pearly white casket at their funeral Saturday in the town of Superior.

— Fox News, "2 Arizona children found dead in car seats laid to rest," 8 Apr. 2018
Folks, get into opalescent hair, which mixes iridescent pinks, purples, greens, and blues on a pearly, platinum base.

— kelsi zimmerman, Allure, "13 Stunning Opal Hair-Color Ideas That Are Trending for 2018," 28 Mar. 2018
Aside from an image of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. being turned away from the pearly gates by God and his police-uniformed bodyguards, Colescott’s drawings are neither snide nor biting.

— david pagel, latimes.com, "In Robert Colescott’s works at Blum & Poe, nothing is black and white," 25 Mar. 2018
Sienna Miller selected an ecru and white pearly tweed jacket from Chanel’s Métiers d'art Paris-Hamburg 2017/18 collection.

— lindzi scharf, latimes.com, "On the night before the Oscars, the stars shine bright at the Charles Finch and Chanel dinner," 4 Mar. 2018
The bold look can be easily re-created using Dior’s felt-tip Diorshow On Stage Liner, which comes in brighter colors like matte aqua and purple and pearly turquoise.

— shannon barbour, The Cut, "Go Behind-the-Scenes of Paris Fashion Week With Dior’s Peter Philips," 28 Feb. 2018

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

First Known Use of pearly

15th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

PEARLY Defined for English Language Learners

pearly

adjective

Definition of pearly for English Language Learners

: having the shiny, white color of pearls

PEARLY Defined for Kids

pearly

adjective \ ˈpər-lē \

Definition of pearly for Students

pearlier; pearliest

: resembling a pearl in color, shape, or luster

Small pearly clouds drifted … overhead.
—Laura Ingalls Wilder, Little House on the Prairie

Learn More about pearly

See words that rhyme with pearly Spanish Central: Translation of pearly Nglish: Translation of pearly for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of pearly for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up pearly? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

pearly

Definition of pearly

Examples of pearly in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pearly from the Web

First Known Use of pearly

PEARLY Defined for English Language Learners

pearly

Definition of pearly for English Language Learners

PEARLY Defined for Kids

pearly

Definition of pearly for Students

Learn More about pearly

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

balmy

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

'Than': What Follows It and Why

Words We're Watching: 'B side'

Can You Use 'Comprised of'?

Words We're Watching: '-iversary'

Ask the Editors

Ghost Word

2017 Word of the Year: Behind the Scenes

Literally

Is Singular 'They' a Better Choice?

Word Games

Name More Food!

Yearbook Superlatives Quiz

Name That Thing

Word Winder's CrossWinder

Trending: 'Asylum' Trends as Policies Draw Attention

'Than': What Follows It and Why

Name More Food!

9 Words for Transnational Currencies

Ghost Word

pearly

Definition of pearly

Examples of pearly in a Sentence

Recent Examples of pearly from the Web

First Known Use of pearly

Phrases Related to PEARLY

Related Phrases

PEARLY Defined for English Language Learners

pearly

Definition of pearly for English Language Learners

PEARLY Defined for Kids

pearly

Definition of pearly for Students

Learn More about pearly

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Trending: 'Asylum' Trends as Policies Draw Attention

'Than': What Follows It and Why

Name More Food!

9 Words for Transnational Currencies

Ghost Word