1
as in shaggy
covered with or as if with hair
that gray, cottony spot on the bread is mold
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in silky
smooth or delicate in appearance or feel
fluffy, cottony hair
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cottony
The females will lay 200 or more eggs, protected by cottony eggs sacs, which then hatch in a few days into crawlers that creep away to find new places to feed, says Del-Pozo.
—
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 July 2025
Those without leaves store water in their stems.) Check the plants for disease and infestations, including mealy bugs, which look like a cottony, white substance, and powdery mildew, which initially appears as white circles on leaves and stems.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025
These small insects have a waxy, white, cottony appearance and can usually be found in clusters on the underside of leaves and in stem joints.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2025
There, the thickly forested ranges perched on a shelf of cottony clouds, offering a view of the mountaintop complex modeled after 16th century Vietnamese pagodas, including a 10-story belfry, a network of stone staircases and a giant seated Buddha.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023
Come springtime, a perimeter of blossoming dogwoods will enfold the clearing in a cottony veil.
—Curbed, 13 Nov. 2022
Buy medium eggplant that is not cottony or bruised.
—The View, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2022
Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 July 2025
Those without leaves store water in their stems.) Check the plants for disease and infestations, including mealy bugs, which look like a cottony, white substance, and powdery mildew, which initially appears as white circles on leaves and stems.
—The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 May 2025
These small insects have a waxy, white, cottony appearance and can usually be found in clusters on the underside of leaves and in stem joints.
—Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 May 2025
There, the thickly forested ranges perched on a shelf of cottony clouds, offering a view of the mountaintop complex modeled after 16th century Vietnamese pagodas, including a 10-story belfry, a network of stone staircases and a giant seated Buddha.
—Patrick Scott, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2023
Come springtime, a perimeter of blossoming dogwoods will enfold the clearing in a cottony veil.
—Curbed, 13 Nov. 2022
Buy medium eggplant that is not cottony or bruised.
—The View, ABC News, 14 Jan. 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cottony
Adjective
-
From the Call of the Canyon parking area in Oak Creek Canyon, hikers cross a shaggy meadow, then follow the creek into verdant forests beneath high cliffs.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
10 Oct. 2025
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The entire property bursts with thickets of shaggy palm trees, enormous birds of paradise, and other tropical plants.—
Sarah Buder,
AFAR Media,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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One of our standout picks is the best-selling wireless Oeak bra, which has become a regular in my own rotation thanks to its silky smooth fabric and impressively lightweight fit.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
8 Oct. 2025
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Now this is a product that truly lives up to its name—Mise en Scène’s Perfect Serum is infused with Moroccan argan oil to deeply hydrate and revive dry, damaged strands, leaving them silky, smooth, and, well, pretty close to perfect.—
Sarah Han,
Allure,
8 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Edible insects in the form of wriggling maggots or hairy caterpillars are both delicacy and staple in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a central African nation of nearly 120 million people.—
Emmet Livingstone,
NPR,
20 Sep. 2025
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Once Upon a Brick — Wolf Guy gets himself into a hairy situation in this howling comedy.—
Brady MacDonald,
Oc Register,
19 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Pop a satin version on top of your usual night-out curls to make the 'do feel glamorous.—
Jasmine Washington,
Seventeen,
18 Jan. 2023
-
From satin pillowcases to a hydrating moisturizer, all of these products are on sale for less than $25.—
Isabel Garcia,
Peoplemag,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
Take the front row, for example, where Russell was fitted with medium tires and Verstappen was on soft tires.—
Madeline Coleman,
New York Times,
7 Oct. 2025
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These unique washcloths only need water to remove makeup like foundation, concealer, and blush, and are soft and gentle enough to wipe away stubborn mascara, eyeliner, and eyeshadow around the delicate eye area.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Well, for starters, cashmere comes from the downy undercoat of specific breeds of goats.—
Cortne Bonilla,
Vogue,
9 Oct. 2025
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He is still covered in downy feathers and scrambles about on skinny legs, not yet ready to take flight.—
Kate Wong,
Scientific American,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Cottony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cottony. Accessed 14 Oct. 2025.
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