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
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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
Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 12 Dec. 2025
In it, novice nun Viridiana (Silvia Pinal) does her utmost to maintain her Catholic principles, but her lecherous uncle (Fernando Rey) and a motley assemblage of paupers force her to confront the limits of her idealism.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2025
Rudy Lee, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023
This made us—with all our human, mortal limitations—rather like the God of all those past centuries of belief, or should that be credulity: the God who retained and stored away everything in his motley, moveless time, in which nothing was new or old, remote or recent.
—Margaret Jull Costa, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for motley
Adjective
Across the street, in a fairly nondescript building containing a motley arrangement of small businesses, sits a small but mighty grocery store.
—Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 12 Dec. 2025
In it, novice nun Viridiana (Silvia Pinal) does her utmost to maintain her Catholic principles, but her lecherous uncle (Fernando Rey) and a motley assemblage of paupers force her to confront the limits of her idealism.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
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
This made us—with all our human, mortal limitations—rather like the God of all those past centuries of belief, or should that be credulity: the God who retained and stored away everything in his motley, moveless time, in which nothing was new or old, remote or recent.
—Margaret Jull Costa, Harper’s Magazine , 10 Apr. 2023
See All Example Sentences for motley
Recent Examples of Synonyms for motley
Adjective
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The eclectic sourcing reflects its notion of conservation.—
John Bowe,
Travel + Leisure,
1 Feb. 2026
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Chef Misti Norris, formerly of the eclectic Petra and the Beast, has created Far Out’s menu.—
Sarah Blaskovich,
Dallas Morning News,
1 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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For me, folklore started right back at school, when our junior headmaster used to sit and tell us tall colorful tales, oral Cumbrian legends and ghost stories, which could be augmented and added to in the telling.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
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In practice, that meant something similar to his past records—fragments of human voices breaking through collages of tape loops and glitchy errata, warmed by colorful sequences of alien synth work.—
Colin Joyce,
Pitchfork,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Of course, comparing the bottle in question to contemporary releases is a fool’s errand—this was something different entirely.—
David Thomas Tao,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
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Breaking down such a layered metaphysical concept with the relatively few words left in this review would be a fool’s errand, but suffice it to say that all of the math miraculously checks out.—
Christian Zilko,
IndieWire,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The Who’s Next trade show continued to spread its wings, leaning further into demand for broader assortments as retailers seek opportunities to up the lifestyle quotient in stores and cultivate a community vibe that brings consumers back time after time.—
Alex Wynne,
Footwear News,
26 Jan. 2026
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In states like Florida that have robust school-choice programs, funding is beginning to follow students to a much wider assortment of learning environments.—
Kerry McDonald,
Forbes.com,
26 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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The result is a category that’s far more varied than many drinkers realize, ranging from classic rye-forward blends to dessert-style cream whiskies to smoky single malts coming out of British Columbia.—
Emily Price,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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And over the past few years, the options for spending a night on the rails in the lap of luxury have grown more varied (though, admittedly, pricey) than ever—from Peru to Penang, and Cornwall to Cape Town, the possibilities are endless.—
Liam Hess,
Vogue,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Sparkling Orange Nº1, a low-intervention, organic orange (orange colored due to skin contact, no oranges used) bubbly from Alsace that pops with orange peel and juicy peach, then drifts into jasmine, herbs, and gentle spice.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
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Run the cycle again, warm for colored towels and hot for white towels.—
Patricia Shannon,
Southern Living,
25 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The results will show young women who look an awful lot like circus clowns, with faces hidden under layers of masks, gels, serums, and even face tape.—
Jana Pollack,
Parents,
31 Jan. 2026
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What awaits you is an emotional journey through family, death, grief, memory, hope, and tears that also features clowns – yes, clowns!—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The result also spotlights conference championships’ awkward fit in the current system, particularly given the fact that conference expansion has led to jumbles atop each league’s standings.—
Jacob Feldman,
Sportico.com,
7 Dec. 2025
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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
Cite this Entry
“Motley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motley. Accessed 3 Feb. 2026.
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