dye 1 of 2

noun

ˈdī How to pronounce dye (audio)
Definition of dyenext
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
How light turns the tattoo on and off The key to PhotoTat is a class of chemicals called photochromic dyes, which change colour when exposed to particular wavelengths of light. — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026 Last week, China launched an anti-dumping investigation into imports from the EU of p-nitrotoluene, a chemical compound used in dyes and pharmaceuticals. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026
Verb
Diesel fuel that is intended for off-road uses such as agriculture is exempt from federal and state excise taxes, and it is dyed for law enforcement purposes, the White House explained in a fact sheet. — Nicholas Ingram, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026 Meg’s hairstylist, Kellon Deryck, transformed Megan with a platinum updo that mirrored a pair of cute cat ears, whose tips were dyed a peachy orange. — Michael Saponara, Billboard, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for dye
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dye
  1. pigment
  2. paint
  3. coloring
  4. stain
  5. color
  6. tint
  7. colorant
Noun
  • It was painted using a technique in which pigments are mixed with molten wax, and restorers were able to recover the features of the brother on the right.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Unlike a conventional tattoo, whose visible design generally remains until the pigment is removed or altered, PhotoTat lets users switch their tattoos between coloured and nearly invisible states.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of pigment
Verb
  • At most, the emissions of plasma crashing into our atmosphere might paint the sky in pretty shades of green or pink.
    — Mike McRae October 15, New Atlas, 16 Oct. 2026
  • As a market, however, Latin America paints a different picture.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of paint
Noun
  • Khot was interested in cases where the best possible coloring satisfies most but not all of the constraints — say, 99% of them.
    — Quanta Magazine, Quanta Magazine, 7 Oct. 2026
  • View this post on Instagram At the same time, Billie Eilish unveiled a hue change of her own, sharing a mirror selfie of her with caramel-ginger coloring on Instagram.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of coloring
Verb
  • Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.
    — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • Original color photographs were scarce, since continuity stills were usually shot in black-and-white to save money.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 14 Oct. 2026
  • For Gabriela Hearst’s display silver-color, foil-like adornments spotted a few foreheads.
    — Jennifer Weil, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of color
Verb
  • Fel Beauty launched in January with its original Kissylips tinted balms.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • The restaurant is also available for private-dining bookings with a room that can instantly tint its glass, hiding diners with the flip of a switch.
    — Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 17 Sep. 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

“Dye.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dye. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on dye

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dye

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of zenith

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

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

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 16
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All