MOTES Synonyms: 99 Similar and Opposite Words

motes

noun

plural of mote

as in specks

a very small piece there's not a mote of dirt in that woman's house

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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 motes Tiny bugs float in the sun like dust motes, and there are graceful flies large enough to require a runway landing. — John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 4 May 2026 Sunbeams through the windows illuminate floating dust motes—and, imperceptibly, microdroplets of mucus carrying the measles virus, expelled from an infected but asymptomatic child who is hopping and laughing among the others. — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 12 Feb. 2026 Easily swept up by wind and carried long distances by water, these tiny motes are also exceedingly difficult to detect and almost impossible to remove from the environment. — K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 22 Jan. 2026 There’s a Gambit-adjacent one that has players depositing motes while killing other teams. — Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025 The sensors’ small size allows seamless integration into almost any environment, while the wireless, modular design lets motes be added or removed as needed depending on the application. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2025 Powering and recording signals from multiple motes will require new techniques and better signal processing. — Eliza Strickland, IEEE Spectrum, 21 Oct. 2016

Recent Examples of Synonyms for motes

Noun

Pay close attention to where leaves meet the stem, the underside of leaves, and within the petals for any movement or tiny specks.

— Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 4 Aug. 2026
The specks of dirt on the screen, that’s a byproduct of the process that Imax projectors use to advance the frames.

— Chris Stanton, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of specks

Noun

Some participants chose vials with liquid to dissolve the semaglutide powder that were expired, had floating particles in them or were cloudy.

— C. Michael White, The Conversation, 7 Aug. 2026
Radioactive Planet Neutrinos are the most abundant of all the particles that have mass.

— James Dinneen, Quanta Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of particles

Noun

One image of her right knee showed flecks of blue plastic that prosecutors said came from an inflatable pool Burke used to collect blood while dismembering her body.

— Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 21 July 2026
Someone unfamiliar with salt bread might even suspect a major baking error, seeing a questionably smooth croissant that entirely missed the lamination process, adorned with only a few flecks of salt acting as its saving grace.

— Candy Hom, AJC.com, 19 July 2026

Definition of flecks

Noun

This flavorful mix of fruit bits makes a refreshing snack or a healthy treat for lunch boxes.

— Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026
Even the visuals, which evoke an old-fashioned style as possible — despite some jarring bits of CG imagery — use the same language Lucasfilm veterans like Doug Chiang have developed over the decades.

— Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of bits

Noun

To make this gluten-free, replace the couscous with 1 1/2 cups cooked rice or quinoa, or skip the grains entirely and stir in 2 cups cauliflower rice with the peppers and beef.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026
Mai is propagating more than 170 varieties collected from refugees around the world, helping preserve these precious grains while studying which are best suited to our changing climate.

— Laura Mclively, Mercury News, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of grains

Noun

Those same capabilities let defenders spot flaws and build patches before adversaries gained access to AI as advanced as Mythos.

— Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026
Beyond the white patches, which disappear when pouch use stops, a lasting concern is gum recession, which is irreversible.

— Callie Teitelbaum, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026

Definition of patches

Noun

For scientists like Cohen, these molecules are an exciting area of research that could reap significant health breakthroughs.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
Theoretically, this means that the plastic should be easily convertible into other, more useful molecules after replacing their chlorine atoms.

— Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Aug. 2026

Definition of molecules

Noun

Take one scroll through his Instagram account, which shows off photos of trotters (pig feet) stuffed with sweetbreads (animal pancreas) and Alsatian headcheese (a mold made of pig scraps, usually from the animal’s head).

— Katelyn Umholtz, Kansas City Star, 11 Aug. 2026
On Monday, compostable cups, cutlery and bin liners were mixed in with a delivery of food scraps and lobster shells.

— ABC News, ABC News, 10 Aug. 2026

Definition of scraps

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motels

motes

motet

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“Motes.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motes. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of motes

noun

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