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
1
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
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Recent Examples of motley
Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
However, if the TikToks on my own For You Page are to be believed, the audience is a motley mix of people, from Gen Alpha to Boomers, who tune in every week to watch protagonist Belly choose between one of two brothers—Conrad (Christopher Briney) or Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2025
Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2022
His tall, broad-shouldered hunchback stomps around the court in the multi-colored motley teasing his master and his henchmen with seeming good-natured gaiety.
—Bill Hirschman, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for motley
Adjective
Chief among them is Ullman, who, like Murphy, is somehow never fazed by the frenetic ups and downs of life at the school, and then there are the kids themselves, a motley bunch whose neuroses and camaraderie recall the psych ward in Milos Forman’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 5 Sep. 2025
However, if the TikToks on my own For You Page are to be believed, the audience is a motley mix of people, from Gen Alpha to Boomers, who tune in every week to watch protagonist Belly choose between one of two brothers—Conrad (Christopher Briney) or Jeremiah (Gavin Casalegno).
—Sam Reed, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2025
Noun
With a total team of 25 today, Schaper is trying to juggle a motley of distribution channels, each with their own unique needs and processes.
—Esha Chhabra, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2022
His tall, broad-shouldered hunchback stomps around the court in the multi-colored motley teasing his master and his henchmen with seeming good-natured gaiety.
—Bill Hirschman, sun-sentinel.com, 14 Mar. 2022
See All Example Sentences for motley
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motley
Adjective
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Where To Shop Go Vintage Shopping Bedford is known for its eclectic collection of vintage boutiques that are a delight for both enthusiastic thrifters and casual shoppers.—
Erin Gifford,
Southern Living,
12 Oct. 2025
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Post-breakfast, peruse eclectic galleries and vintage shops like VARGA Gallery and Mystery Spot Antiques.—
Lauren Dana Ellman,
Travel + Leisure,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Grand Slam winners get a colorful Grand Slam Award sticker.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Oct. 2025
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Hipp evokes an opulent playhouse, with a bold palette, swathes of rich velvet, and plenty of colorful art.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Don’t let the success of KPop Demon Hunters at the box office fool you, Netflix is still Netflix.—
Bethy Squires,
Vulture,
16 Oct. 2025
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Sabonis and Zach LaVine are fringe All-Stars most seasons, Keegan Murray is a solid wing starter who shoots and defends, DeRozan can still get midrange buckets and shot-fake fools into heaps of fouls, and Malik Monk is electric in a sixth-man role.—
John Hollinger,
New York Times,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The assortment features a variety of cheeses shaped like pumpkins and ghosts, ideal for a party platter or snack tray.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Oct. 2025
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During the fall, an assortment of oranges, yellows, golds, greens, and browns set a rather striking scene for those driving the famed byway.—
Lydia Mansel,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Comments were varied on this one, but overall editors felt like this one had a solid texture.—
Melinda Salchert,
Southern Living,
11 Oct. 2025
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Opinions from evaluators on McGonigle’s ability to handle shortstop on an everyday basis are varied.—
Cody Stavenhagen,
New York Times,
11 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The nutmeg-colored upholstery and bucket seats were shot.—
Laura Lane,
USA Today,
11 Oct. 2025
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The Guerida line nodding to private estate La Querida and its white façades, emerald green lawns and ocean views offered a more naïve take on the colored theme by mean of hearts and floral motifs juxtaposed in a ring, bracelet and pendant earrings.—
Sandra Salibian,
Footwear News,
10 Oct. 2025
Noun
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With a run time of less than fifteen minutes, the film featured Smith in two of its four segments, shown playing with dolls with a female companion in a bathtub in one, and dressed as a clown on the roof of an apartment building in another.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
9 Oct. 2025
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The biggest losers are the very citizens electing these clowns.—
Khaleda Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Ray’s most chaotic photograms—jumbles that push out of the frame or look like time bombs ready to explode—find echoes in his films, projected on the back walls, a show in themselves.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
3 Oct. 2025
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In jumbles of old stones that, to me, are barely legible as the remains of buildings, Cocon López could see the entire timeline of old Aké and how later people interacted with and repurposed what came before.—
Lizzie Wade,
Smithsonian Magazine,
23 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Motley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motley. Accessed 18 Oct. 2025.
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