DYE Synonyms: 38 Similar and Opposite Words

dye 1 of 2

noun

ˈdī

Definition of dye

as in pigment

a substance used to color other materials soaked the fabric in blue dye

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

dye

2 of 2

verb

as in to paint

to give color or a different color to dyed her hair a startling red

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of dye

Noun

Kennedy announced an effort to do that—with much ballyhoo—but later admitted that the FDA did not ban or even have an agreement with food companies to remove the dyes. — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Nov. 2026 Prioritize Pure Ingredients Many protein powders contain dyes, artificial flavoring, thickening agents, emulsifiers, and other additives that don’t occur in nature. — Maggie Donahue, HEALTH, 5 Nov. 2026

Verb

Only the lengthwise, or warp, yarns are dyed, while the crosswise, or weft, yarns remain undyed, giving denim its characteristic blue face and lighter underside. — Britannica Editors, Encyclopedia Britannica, 23 Oct. 2026 When my mom was younger, the studio dyed her hair blonde, and my daughter is blonde. — Gustavo Egusquiza, Vanity Fair, 22 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dye

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dye

Noun

These colorful pigments act as a kind of sunscreen barrier protecting the coral from light damage, which encourages algae to return.

— Connie Hanzhang Jin, NPR, 8 Nov. 2026
Whereas Paintstroke evokes a wet stripe of pigment, Chalk Line juxtaposes raised cross-hatchings against a neutral ground.

— Livia Caligor, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of pigment

Verb

For families Children are welcomed with signature teddy bears and mini-bathrobes, and can join Peninsula Academy like a chocolate bear-painting workshop, dim sum making, or farm and garden visits.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Nov. 2026
The large wooden desk is framed by a bookshelf painted pastel robin’s egg blue, and an antique cabinet that stands on tall spindly legs, its doors open, revealing rows of small, narrow dividers for sorting mail or paperwork.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 5 Nov. 2026

Definition of paint

Noun

Her almost-white blonde coloring helped to amp up the hairdo’s geometric shape.

— Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Nov. 2026
Somehow, this fact seems to echo the rightness of the way things are naturally formed in the world—like the coloring of rock formations or the markings on an animal’s hide.

— Artforum, Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026

Definition of coloring

Verb

Donning a pink skirt suit and matching pillbox hat stained with fake blood, Fox stepped out as the former First Lady during an event for Urban Decay.

— Daysia Tolentino, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2026
The sculptures were frequently stained with graphite or chalk dust, whose force of presence was comparable to that of cliff or cave, capable of stunning the viewer into silence.

— News Desk, Artforum, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of stain

Noun

Its 180 rooms and suites have been designed in neutral colors and delicate fabrics, leaving the focus on the expansive white, sandy beaches just outside the window.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
The Fiftysix Self-Winding reserves the colors of its sibling, showing off a lighter gray gradient in its opaline center dial with a darker gray sunburst design living in the chapter ring.

— Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 10 Nov. 2026

Definition of color

Verb

The Lone Star State, long the dominant force amongst a coalition of diehard red states, is now tinted blue.

— Sasha Abramsky, Washington Post, 5 Nov. 2026
Each style has multiple color and lens options, starting at $449 with plain black or tortoiseshell frames and clear or basic gray- or brown-tinted lenses.

— Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 3 Nov. 2026

Definition of tint

Noun

Food-grade natural colorant obtained from the petals of the butterfly pea flower was approved for use in the United States by the Food and Drug Administration in 2021.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
Updates across the lists include new restrictions on flame retardants and colorants, new or tightened limits on some chemicals and metals, and new substance limits for jewelry.

— Cleo Levin, Footwear News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of colorant

Browse Nearby Words

dyarchy

dye

dyed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dye. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dye

noun

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on dye

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

gauntlet

Popular in Grammar & Usage

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Popular in Wordplay

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

Popular

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes