as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mottle
Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Remember to continue your daily sunscreen use to stave off more mottle.
—Katie Becker, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 Oct. 2015
Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025
The Argentine tegu has mottled black and white skin.
—Cheryl McCloud, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Noun
As branching coral look-alikes, the cuttlefish splayed out their arms and displayed dark mottles to blend in with staghorn coral.
—Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Mar. 2025
Remember to continue your daily sunscreen use to stave off more mottle.
—Katie Becker, Harper's BAZAAR, 5 Oct. 2015
Verb
June will never see the Monets, mottled and dreamy, hanging in the Musée d’Orsay.
—Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 Apr. 2025
The Argentine tegu has mottled black and white skin.
—Cheryl McCloud, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
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Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
20 June 2025
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Nebular patches alternate with blotches of jet; just visible in the foreground is a circle of white dots crossed with lines that meet at its center, like a spoked wheel of stars.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
29 May 2025
Verb
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With eviction looming by their landlord’s 6 p.m. deadline, these two embark upon a manic ride to come up with cash, with simple errands turning into shady pawn shop dealings, impromptu blood donations and sneaker hustles (with surprise celebrity encounters sprinkling their affairs).—
Travis Bean,
Forbes.com,
27 June 2025
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At a typical gathering, one by one, each ingredient is added to the dish on a platter, with the host sprinkling nuts, seeds, spices and dressing over the salad.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
19 June 2025
Noun
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The gloss comes in six sheer shades, ranging from clear to a purple hue, and four of them include shimmery flecks that’ll catch the light to make your lips look even juicier.—
Angela Trakoshis,
Allure,
4 June 2025
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Miniature crystals dot the brown enamel to look like flecks of salt.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
People.com,
9 May 2025
Verb
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Nearby nature reserves offer hiking and wildlife watching, and over 50 golf courses dot the region, including some of the oldest courses in the world.—
Kathleen Peddicord,
Forbes.com,
30 June 2025
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Airboat tour attractions and gift shops dot the highway.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
28 June 2025
Noun
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My thick Florida grass is plagued by fuzzy patches where my robomower cut imperfectly.—
Anthony Karcz,
Forbes.com,
29 June 2025
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After a sit-down interview with Bobbie Thomas, Harlow was surprised by Jenna Bush Hager with video messages from three women with vitiligo, an autoimmune condition that causes patches of skin to lose pigment.—
Brenton Blanchet,
People.com,
27 June 2025
Verb
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But with Victoria’s Secret, Super inherited a beleaguered brand stained by upheaval and scandal.—
Alicia Adamczyk,
Fortune,
28 June 2025
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White signaled cleanliness, leisure and a house filled with staff who could get those pesky grass stains out.—
Brett F. Braley-Palko,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Noun
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Like specks of dirt falling victim to a vacuum, balls were simply drawn into his glove.—
Kyle Feldscher,
CNN Money,
19 June 2025
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This natural phenomenon, in which light-emitting sea creatures like algae cause the water to glitter with specks of blue and white light, is best viewed on a dark, moonless night.—
Jessie Beck,
AFAR Media,
16 June 2025
Verb
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The rest of the cast creates a convincing family, given and found, around our hero, and there are details aplenty that help the show stick: Jokes are peppered in consistently enough to recognize each character as much more than a vehicle for exposition.—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
24 June 2025
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The judge peppered Reuveni with questions: How was Abrego Garcia seized?—
Andrea Hsu,
NPR,
23 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 5 Jul. 2025.
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