as in blotch
a small area that is different (as in color) from the main part
canvases covered with streaks and mottles
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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
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
But Tariq’s body was already cold, and his skin was mottled.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
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
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026
But Tariq’s body was already cold, and his skin was mottled.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
-
Inadequate iron causes young leaves to appear yellow with green veins, while magnesium deficiency causes blotches or spots on older leaves.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
8 June 2026
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But skimping on the self-tanner can actually result in blotches and stripes.—
Deanna Pai,
Glamour,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Beside Grant, who is bound for the Portland Cascade, there will be 12 other former Bruins sprinkled among the league’s six rosters.—
Mirjam Swanson,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
Headlining the festivities are four watch parties sprinkled throughout the World Cup.—
Ava DiCecca,
Sun Sentinel,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.—
Jessica Puckett,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 June 2026
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The light had a wintry grain, with flecks of color suspended in it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Verb
-
Few sites, however, became such frequent battlegrounds as the parking lots of Home Depots, where day laborers congregate, or were hit as persistently and severely as the open air car washes that dot sunny Southern California.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
-
Lighthouses Ten lighthouses, some still in service (and one in ruins), dot the Apostle Islands.—
Robert Annis,
Midwest Living,
14 June 2026
Noun
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That means no more security updates, patches, or tech support, so now’s definitely the time to finally upgrade.—
StackCommerce Team,
PC Magazine,
12 June 2026
-
One of the smaller patches, but even a small patch in Crimson Desert does still add a good amount.—
Paul Tassi,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Eating their finger-staining orange snacks.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
8 June 2026
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How To Remove Stains From Marble Most marble countertops are sealed upon installation to help slow the absorption of liquids that can lead to staining.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
But such interludes add up to small specks of stormclouds in the show’s otherwise sunny skies.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
2 June 2026
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Most astronomers now agree that each of these minuscule crimson specks—which bear a striking resemblance to enormous, faraway stars—actually has a burgeoning black hole at its center.—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
In the days and weeks that followed, city and police officials continued to pepper the bureau about speeding up the approval process.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 June 2026
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The meeting went off the rails when Pelley, a 50-year veteran journalist, began peppering Bilton with questions and accused Weiss of destroying the show’s sterling reputation.—
Cheyenne Roundtree,
Rolling Stone,
3 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 15 Jun. 2026.
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