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
Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
This motley collection of diary entries, photos, and interviews from writer, musician, and visual artist Lauren Napier (pictured above) takes readers straight into the early aughts pop punk scene.
—Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026
Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025
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
Masterminded by nonprofit organization War Child and produced by Brian Eno, the album brought together a motley group of big-ticket artists—Radiohead, the Chemical Brothers, the Stone Roses, Paul McCartney—and raised over a million pounds for children caught in the Bosnian war.
—Hannah Jocelyn, Pitchfork, 18 Mar. 2026
This motley collection of diary entries, photos, and interviews from writer, musician, and visual artist Lauren Napier (pictured above) takes readers straight into the early aughts pop punk scene.
—Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 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
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
-
Shop and eat your way along Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach, the 50-block Victorian seaport village dotted with local eateries and eclectic shops.—
Lisa A. Beach,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
-
Countless cultures have imprinted their own cultural beliefs in the constellations, seeing mighty heroes, fantastic beasts and eclectic objects in the stars.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
9 May 2026
Adjective
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Next came Chase Infiniti, wearing a colorful trompe-l’oeil Thom Browne dress (another Venus de Milo tribute).—
Jane Bua,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Try a colorful coverlet to make an eye-catching statement, add a light and airy layer over your comforter for a seasonal refresh, or trade a modern design for traditional patterns to make your space feel effortlessly more inviting.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
13 May 2026
Noun
-
Here are three fool-proof tips to stay ahead of the curve during the volatility to come.—
Solo Ceesay,
Rolling Stone,
7 May 2026
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The Quince Revive Nylon Crescent Shoulder Bag is just $32, but don’t let its affordable price fool you.—
Destinee Scott,
Travel + Leisure,
7 May 2026
Noun
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On the plus side, the Rays have a versatile assortment of relievers who can provide different arm angles and styles from inning to inning.—
John Romano,
The Orlando Sentinel,
11 May 2026
-
What is clear, however, is that the aye-aye’s comical assortment of features definitely isn’t incidental.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
Adjective
-
Because the games are varied on each visit, the location has already seen repeat guests since opening in March, including one family that has visited at least half a dozen times.—
Patrick Connolly,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
The topics on talk radio are varied, though the lives of celebrities and political issues are commonly discussed.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Many of the buildings are painted almost like a salmon-colored pink.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
11 May 2026
-
In one classic problem, you’re given three colored pencils and a blank map divided into many regions.—
Ben Brubaker,
Quanta Magazine,
11 May 2026
Noun
-
Even a rival gave kudos — kind of — to the clown.—
Anna Lazarus Caplan,
PEOPLE,
8 May 2026
-
Thor is now a circus clown — not even a funny one at that — relegated to being the butt of Star-Lord's unfunny jokes and the least-serious Avenger.—
Sergio Pereira,
Space.com,
6 May 2026
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
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Macaroons are chewy jumbles of coconut bound together with egg whites and sweetened condensed milk.—
Lynda Balslev,
Mercury News,
10 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Motley.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/motley. Accessed 14 May. 2026.
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