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
New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
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
Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Some are near-alabaster or silvery, others the darkest of greens, and there are variegated choices, striped or mottled in gold or white or silver.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Noun
Turn the mottle of ideas in your head into coherent communicable paragraphs.
—New Atlas, 23 Jan. 2026
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
Verb
Shiny and dark evergreen foliage is held aloft on strong, arching stems mottled with purple flecks.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Dec. 2025
Some are near-alabaster or silvery, others the darkest of greens, and there are variegated choices, striped or mottled in gold or white or silver.
—The New York Times News Service Syndicate, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
-
This was a black one with blotches faintly outlined in pale yellow, a beautiful but deadly looking animal.—
Dr. C. E. Kuschel,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
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The eggs vary in color—from white to blue to brown—with speckles, blotches, and other markings and are also distinctive in shape.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Roasted pumpkin seeds and diced jalapenos sprinkled on top add heat and crunch.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
21 Apr. 2026
-
After Knicks head athletic trainer Anthony Goenaga took a look at his hand, Clarkson sprinkled an imaginary substance onto his wrist.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Its design, crafted by Russell Sage Studio, is meant to be an on-the-nose reflection of the distillery's famed product, with bronzy walls the color of its single malt, and a ceiling painted to look like barley, reflecting the morning dew with flecks of gold throughout.—
Alessandra Amodio,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2026
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Berber carpet Berber is a type of loop pile carpet with flecks of color.—
Faith Wakefield,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Clean Mirrors If there are fingerprints and toothpaste remnants dotting your mirror, grab a Swiffer, glass cleaner, and a microfiber cloth.—
Melissa Locker,
Southern Living,
18 Apr. 2026
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Sheer cliffs rise from sloping green hills dotted with evergreens.—
Julia Sayers Gokhale,
Midwest Living,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
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That waiver allows existing routers to continue receiving updates that patch vulnerabilities, maintain functionality and ensure compatibility with operating systems.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Apr. 2026
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Their only view of the outside world is a patch of sky seen through a window four inches wide.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Additional surveillance footage showed Marcelin in his building's laundry room cleaning a kitchen mat that appears stained with blood, according to prosecutors.—
Ben Brachfeld,
PEOPLE,
20 Apr. 2026
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One of them, Amy, a blond child with limp ponytails and a thin dress that looks like it might have been stained, stands outside a porch door, her fists balled up, mouth open, angry or unhappy or both.—
Vince Aletti,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Silvery or mottled patches on leaves, brown or distorted petal edges, dark specks (feces) or flower buds that fail to open are signs of thrips.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
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Within it, there's not a speck of greenery in sight.—
Julie Bourdin,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Artworks by Dominican artists are peppered throughout the building, lending the resort a gallery-like vibe.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
23 Apr. 2026
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In it, ink markings peppered her features, illustrating exactly where a surgeon would soon cut her skin open.—
Rheana Murray,
The Atlantic,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
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