motley 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmät-lē How to pronounce motley (audio)
Definition of motleynext
1
as in eclectic
consisting of many things of different sorts a ship with a motley crew of old salts, young adventurers, and shifty characters of all ages

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in colorful
marked by a variety of usually vivid colors a tropical bird with motley plumage

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

motley

2 of 2

noun

1
as in fool
a person formerly kept in a royal or noble household to amuse with jests and pranks the motleys with their colorful outfits

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in assortment
an unorganized collection or mixture of various things a motley of old junk stored in the attic

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 motley
Adjective
In the interplay of motley elements, ear fulfill the open-field implications of a title like Rumspringa, as well as their own namesake, this voraciously ingesting organ. — Samuel Hyland, Pitchfork, 3 June 2026 The subtitle for the game is Beyond Dreams and deals with a protagonist (shown above) who is plagued by strange visions in his sleep, with what looks like a motley bunch of companions. — Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 27 May 2026
Noun
Her goal is to start a women’s consciousness-raising group, and her efforts have brought together a motley, inquisitive quintet. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 Kaan kaan wu, with its motley of melds, is where these two tiles from different suits can be used in a clean-sweeping hand. — Rudy Lee, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023 See All Example Sentences for motley
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motley
  1. eclectic
  2. colorful
  3. fool
  4. assortment
  5. varied
  6. colored
  7. clown
  8. jumble
Adjective
  • Sila, on Deck 9, is the buffet restaurant (albeit an opulent one) and was my go-to venue for an eclectic range of savory and sweet offerings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Living alone in Los Angeles for the first time, Jordan had visions of eclectic murals to match her vintage furniture and art collection.
    — Lina Abascal, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of eclectic
Adjective
  • But during the fall, the scenic pathway becomes even more enchanting when accented by colorful foliage.
    — Beth Luberecki, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Rome — The city of Rome has revealed for the first time the biggestRoman wall mosaic ever found, and a colorful fresco painted on a 2,000-year-old wall — the culmination of a massive 14-year restoration project.
    — Barbie Latza Nadeau, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of colorful
Noun
  • Set the scene Upon entering, don't let the grandiose, atrium-esque, white-marbled lobby fool you into thinking there's an ounce of formality or stuffiness here.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Anhor The Great had so many pass breakups that counting would’ve been a fool’s errand.
    — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of fool
Noun
  • With half‑year sales topping 100 billion yuan, growth is being driven by Sam’s Club expansion, e‑commerce, and relentless focus on value, assortment, and convenience.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Faherty is number two and the store will be adding boys to its men’s and womenswear assortment.
    — Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of assortment
Adjective
  • The Belgian designer, who went on to thank her team members and collaborators by name, is known for her varied explorations of feminine identity.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Possible options include ammunition designed for varied levels of impact, including armor-piercing configurations.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of varied
Adjective
  • Highlights include a jewel box of a shop lined with wood drawers of glittering gemlike brooches, insignia, cords, and colored fringes; an embroidery and monogramming school; and a bead room for commissioning consultations.
    — Clare Coulson, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Multi-Hyphenate is housed in deep oxblood-colored glass with silver detailing, part of a broader packaging approach designed to make each product feel distinctive and covetable.
    — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of colored
Noun
  • Target recently received backlash for 'offensive' Halloween costume This comes on the heels of Target apologizing in late August for a Halloween circus clown costume that critics said appeared to conjure Blackface and 19th-century minstrel shows.
    — Gabe Hauari, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Cam Schlittler, no stranger to Boston beef, used an emoji to call Flemming a clown on an Instagram post.
    — Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of clown
Noun
  • Arches and natural bridges sweep like buttresses from jumbles of rock, giving this landscape a mystical, cathedral-like quality.
    — Madison Chapman, Outside, 25 Mar. 2026
  • Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.
    — Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of jumble

Browse Nearby Words

motivity
motley
motleys
See all Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Motley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motley. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of patina

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

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

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

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

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

Popular in Wordplay

See More

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

Words from the 'Odyssey'

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Popular

See More

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

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary
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
funny guinea pig in glasses reading a book
Challenging Words You Should Know Vol 2 Words to the wise
See All