paler; palest
1
a
: deficient in color or intensity of color : pallid
a pale complexion
b(1)
: having color of reduced saturation (see saturation sense 4a)
a pale pink
(2)
: light in color especially relative to others of its kind
pale beers
2
: not bright or brilliant : dim
a pale sun shining through the fog
paled; paling
: to become pale
: to make pale
1
: an area or the limits within which one is privileged or protected (as from censure)
conduct that was beyond the pale
2
a
: a space or field having bounds : enclosure
The cattle were led into the pale.
b
: a territory or district within certain bounds or under a particular jurisdiction
British culture survived even within the Roman pale.
3
a
: one of the stakes of a palisade
b
4
: a perpendicular stripe on a heraldic shield
see paleo-
Synonyms
Examples of pale in a Sentence
Adjective
the pale wood of the table
The walls were painted a pale blue.
She has a pale complexion.
Her illness had left her pale and weak.
She grew pale with fright.
Are you feeling well? You look pale.
the pale light of dawn
Recent Examples on the Web
Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Inside crepey wrinkles and wiry fur, heavy brows and grubby nails, plodding feet and soft, pale bellies are Keough and her three co-stars, Nathan Zellner as the alpha, Jesse Eisenberg as the beta and Christophe Zajac-Denek as the child who occasionally suckles at Keough’s breasts.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The most common species in Arizona is the Apache cicada, which is dark-colored with a pale tan band just behind its head, according to the Arizona Historical Society.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
The mint green interiors, designed by the local architecture firm Studio Wok, include a bar made of gridded fiberglass panels and rows of pale green textiles along the ceiling inspired by noren, the fabric room dividers commonly used in Japan.
—Laura May Todd, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Heat the oil for a few seconds, then add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until garlic is pale golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
—Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
Western newsrooms are still staffed disproportionately by pale people like me, who may empathize more readily with victims whose phenotype looks familiar.
—Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
Their feats pale in comparison to the electric atmosphere at the Galen Center created last weekend by the incomparable wunderkind JuJu Watkins.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024
Residents are still concerned, as the number of alerts issued pales in comparison to the hundreds of children who remained missing in Milwaukee alone, the state’s Blackest city, in 2022.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Still, international officials and aid groups have said the amount of aid supplied so far pales in comparison to the widespread need across Gaza.
—Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023
The film — a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel, which opened to $153 million back in 2019 — made the most of any film released over the weekend, but its $47 million-grossed pales in comparison to the 32 other films Marvel Studios has released within its interconnected universe since 2008's Iron Man.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 13 Nov. 2023
The stakes at hand for the Warriors’ season pale in comparison to the unimaginable loss of life most of this team witnessed firsthand.
—Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
However, a 90 percent success rate pales compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which has now amassed more than 230 straight successful launches.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2023
Still, a $20 million jackpot pales in comparison to last month’s $1.7 billion.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2023
The total wealth for those under 55 pales in comparison, only 2.5 times bigger during the same time frame.
—Bychloe Berger, Fortune, 22 Dec. 2023
Caitlin Clark, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Still, that number pales in comparison to the 1980s, when real rates often hovered in the high single digits and 30-year mortgages averaged 12.74%.
—Tom Saler, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
This pales in comparison to the No. 1 pick, Dubai International Airport (DXB), which scored 83 out of 100.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024
Both films might pale in comparison to the potential cultural impact of The Apprentice, which stars Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump attempting to start his real estate business in 1980s New York.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024
Even the worst comments on dog-fostering videos pale in comparison with the harassment and even real-life violence that has resulted from other abuse on social media.
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Volkswagen’s Tennessee workers will soon vote on joining the United Auto Workers union, but their benefits will pale in comparison to the company’s unionized German workers.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
The $460 million sale — which has been expected for some time — pales in comparison to the $1.3 billion Embracer valued the business at in 2021.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
But while those figures are impressive, the Dali pales in comparison to the world's largest container ships, which can carry more than 24,000 containers.
—Nick Perry, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
Adjective
Calliope Hummingbird – One of the smallest hummingbirds in the U.S. the calliope has magenta smears on its throat with pale green on the sides.
—Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 12 Apr. 2024
Inside crepey wrinkles and wiry fur, heavy brows and grubby nails, plodding feet and soft, pale bellies are Keough and her three co-stars, Nathan Zellner as the alpha, Jesse Eisenberg as the beta and Christophe Zajac-Denek as the child who occasionally suckles at Keough’s breasts.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 12 Apr. 2024
The most common species in Arizona is the Apache cicada, which is dark-colored with a pale tan band just behind its head, according to the Arizona Historical Society.
—The Arizona Republic, 11 Apr. 2024
Try teal spirals or striped acid yellow tapers in silver candleholders topped with jade rings or pale blue ones that look like large format rigatoni bent into interesting shapes.
—Devra Ferst, Bon Appétit, 11 Apr. 2024
The mint green interiors, designed by the local architecture firm Studio Wok, include a bar made of gridded fiberglass panels and rows of pale green textiles along the ceiling inspired by noren, the fabric room dividers commonly used in Japan.
—Laura May Todd, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2024
Heat the oil for a few seconds, then add garlic and red-pepper flakes, and cook, stirring, until garlic is pale golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
—Melissa Clark, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
Western newsrooms are still staffed disproportionately by pale people like me, who may empathize more readily with victims whose phenotype looks familiar.
—Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 10 Apr. 2024
Their feats pale in comparison to the electric atmosphere at the Galen Center created last weekend by the incomparable wunderkind JuJu Watkins.
—Los Angeles Times, 30 Mar. 2024
Noun
But the trash this will eventually produce pales in comparison to that produced by households, coal ash and plastic waste.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2024
Residents are still concerned, as the number of alerts issued pales in comparison to the hundreds of children who remained missing in Milwaukee alone, the state’s Blackest city, in 2022.
—Char Adams, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2023
Still, international officials and aid groups have said the amount of aid supplied so far pales in comparison to the widespread need across Gaza.
—Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 3 Nov. 2023
The film — a sequel to 2019's Captain Marvel, which opened to $153 million back in 2019 — made the most of any film released over the weekend, but its $47 million-grossed pales in comparison to the 32 other films Marvel Studios has released within its interconnected universe since 2008's Iron Man.
—Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 13 Nov. 2023
The stakes at hand for the Warriors’ season pale in comparison to the unimaginable loss of life most of this team witnessed firsthand.
—Shayna Rubin, The Mercury News, 24 Jan. 2024
However, a 90 percent success rate pales compared to SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, which has now amassed more than 230 straight successful launches.
—Stephen Clark, Ars Technica, 19 Sep. 2023
Still, a $20 million jackpot pales in comparison to last month’s $1.7 billion.
—Jack Murtagh, Scientific American, 17 Nov. 2023
The total wealth for those under 55 pales in comparison, only 2.5 times bigger during the same time frame.
—Bychloe Berger, Fortune, 22 Dec. 2023
Verb
The Caitlin Clark cards collectors have graded most frequently
The number of Clark's cards that collectors have graded in the past year pales in comparison to other sports unicorns such as the NBA's Victor Wembanyama or MLB's Shohei Ohtani.
—Caitlin Clark, USA TODAY, 14 Apr. 2024
Still, that number pales in comparison to the 1980s, when real rates often hovered in the high single digits and 30-year mortgages averaged 12.74%.
—Tom Saler, Journal Sentinel, 11 Apr. 2024
This pales in comparison to the No. 1 pick, Dubai International Airport (DXB), which scored 83 out of 100.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 9 Apr. 2024
Both films might pale in comparison to the potential cultural impact of The Apprentice, which stars Sebastian Stan as a young Donald Trump attempting to start his real estate business in 1980s New York.
—Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 4 Apr. 2024
Even the worst comments on dog-fostering videos pale in comparison with the harassment and even real-life violence that has resulted from other abuse on social media.
—Caroline Mimbs Nyce, The Atlantic, 28 Mar. 2024
Volkswagen’s Tennessee workers will soon vote on joining the United Auto Workers union, but their benefits will pale in comparison to the company’s unionized German workers.
—Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024
The $460 million sale — which has been expected for some time — pales in comparison to the $1.3 billion Embracer valued the business at in 2021.
—Jess Weatherbed, The Verge, 28 Mar. 2024
But while those figures are impressive, the Dali pales in comparison to the world's largest container ships, which can carry more than 24,000 containers.
—Nick Perry, Quartz, 28 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pale.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Articles Related to pale
Dictionary Entries Near pale
Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pale. Accessed 18 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
pale
2 of 3 verb
paled; paling
: to make or become pale
pale
3 of 3 noun1
: a stake or picket of a fence
2
: an enclosed place
3
: territory within clearly marked bounds or under a particular authority
Etymology
Adjective
Middle English pale "lacking in color," from early French pale (same meaning), from Latin pallidus (same meaning), from pallēre "to be pale"
Noun
Middle English pale "paling, picket," from early French pal "stake," from Latin palus (same meaning) — related to travel see Word History at travel
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