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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of cottony
Mealybugs look like cottony white masses, scale insects appear as brown bumps on the leaves, and spider mites leave sticky webbing behind.
—
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
For this new fleece, AG is using the type of longer-staple cotton fibers found in soft cottony things like fancy dress shirts and expensive bedsheets.
—Michael Calore, Wired News, 16 Dec. 2025
Indoors, window dressings create dioramas of glittering reindeer, silvery elves and Saint Nicks and traditional nutcrackers framed with greenery, icicles and cottony snow.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 2 Dec. 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
Behind him, a little further down, a cottony mist is spreading between folds in the hills, a white fog on red earth, the sea has disappeared.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2025
Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 22 Feb. 2026
For this new fleece, AG is using the type of longer-staple cotton fibers found in soft cottony things like fancy dress shirts and expensive bedsheets.
—Michael Calore, Wired News, 16 Dec. 2025
Indoors, window dressings create dioramas of glittering reindeer, silvery elves and Saint Nicks and traditional nutcrackers framed with greenery, icicles and cottony snow.
—Rachel Bernhard, jsonline.com, 2 Dec. 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
Behind him, a little further down, a cottony mist is spreading between folds in the hills, a white fog on red earth, the sea has disappeared.
—Literary Hub, 19 May 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cottony
Adjective
-
Unlike typical mice with short gray-brown coats, these woolly mice have long dirty-blond hair that mimics the shaggy fur that helped protect mammoths from the Arctic cold.—
Rob Stein,
NPR,
4 Mar. 2026
-
Fisher accessorized with oversized sunglasses, point-toe heels, and a small brown handbag, wearing her long tresses in beachy waves with shaggy fringe.—
Hannah Malach,
InStyle,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Rosalind Wheeler Faux Silk Tulip Wreath Tulips are the flower of springtime, and this wreath captures that soft, seasonal charm with silky pink and purple faux blooms.—
Mariana Best,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Mar. 2026
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Traits of a Silky Mom Here are some of the main traits of a silky mom.—
Jana Pollack,
Parents,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Poison hemlock, unlike Queen Anne’s Lace, has a smooth, not hairy stem.—
Carl R. Gold,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Mar. 2026
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To help keep their moisture levels in check and protect themselves from wind, desert plants often have spiny, waxy, or hairy leaves.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
5 Mar. 2026
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
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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
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The walnut desks, the Carrera marble, the Morrocan tile, the Savoir beds (so firm-soft that Goldilocks would weep)—it’s all elegant yet easy, thrown together with savvy intention.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Mar. 2026
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There’s an update on the barn jacket in a soft light blue wash, with a contrast white leather collar; a sweeping denim car coat ideal for transitional weather, and an A-line denim skirt designed to be worn over pants.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The following season, Jackie was tending two downy babies — BBB (Big Bear Baby) and Stormy.—
Lila Seidman,
Los Angeles Times,
3 Mar. 2026
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Just recently, Pera put a smooth mushroom pate on Coltivare’s menu, blanketed in a downy fluff of truffles.—
Aviva Bechky,
Houston Chronicle,
30 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Cottony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cottony. Accessed 10 Mar. 2026.
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