as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color
still looking ashen from his bout with the flu
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Recent Examples of ashen
The venerable monk was draped in his maroon and saffron robe, his bare feet looking ashen with dust, a few of his toes still blackened from his arduous walk.
—
Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Patches of skin that appear red, white, blue, gray, yellow, purple, brown or ashen as opposed to their normal color.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
Though ashen, the convex steel form still resonates to the rhythmic thump of her hands.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
But on one of our last days, the ashen sky cracked open to reveal fragments of a cerulean canvas.
—Celeste Moure, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ashen
Sarah Hepola, Dallas Morning News, 27 Feb. 2026
Patches of skin that appear red, white, blue, gray, yellow, purple, brown or ashen as opposed to their normal color.
—Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 22 Jan. 2026
Though ashen, the convex steel form still resonates to the rhythmic thump of her hands.
—Matthew Carey, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
But on one of our last days, the ashen sky cracked open to reveal fragments of a cerulean canvas.
—Celeste Moure, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 Feb. 2024
See All Example Sentences for ashen
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ashen
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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The national team player posted images on Instagram showcasing the distinctive headphones, featuring large, flat earcups, unique tubular telescoping arms, and an all-new pale pink finish.—
David Phelan,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2026
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Once mounted, the voluptuous nude body stands tall like a mountain against the pale wash of Sotheby’s London gallery.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
30 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ashen.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ashen. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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