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
Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Remains of a Styrofoam food container, mottled with mud.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 June 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
Her right hand looked like the hands most people have, but her other hand was very flat, tinged purple and green, mottled like a fish’s belly, and hanging like a dead fish.
—Zadie Smith, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Remains of a Styrofoam food container, mottled with mud.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
-
These blotches are fairly plant friendly and produce what is known as algal leaf spot.—
Brian Bell,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 Jan. 2026
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The simplest justification for museum construction is structural necessity: ceilings blotch, plumbing and heating go on the fritz.—
Jackson Arn,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Spray any tough-to-clean areas with a bit of vinegar and sprinkle with baking soda.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
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Flaky phyllo dough is filled with zesty harissa sauce and halloumi cheese and sprinkled with breadcrumbs and paprika for a savory bite-sized snack.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
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López reportedly found flecks of gold while digging wild onions, sparking an early gold rush.—
Don Sweeney,
Sacbee.com,
26 Dec. 2025
-
Shiny and dark evergreen foliage is held aloft on strong, arching stems mottled with purple flecks.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
21 Dec. 2025
Verb
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Cooper Flagg jerseys dotted the arena.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Jan. 2026
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Kenneth Cole Classic Wool Walker Coat The three-button closure dotting the collar of this Kenneth Cole coat is unique yet totally timeless.—
Annie Blackman,
InStyle,
11 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Sometimes, missing out on sleep for a few days or longer is all but unavoidable, say, because of a tough patch at work or the reality of life as a new parent.—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
6 Jan. 2026
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These topical patches stick to the back of your ear or around your navel and release a natural blend of essential oils to relieve nausea.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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This mixture attacks stains a bit stronger than the water solution.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
11 Jan. 2026
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While new doors can cost anywhere from several hundred to thousands of dollars, staining, painting, and weather stripping can be done for under $150, according to O'Reilly.—
Shagun Khare,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Their long, silvery-blue spiral arms are peppered with bright knots and specks, the telltale signposts of active, messy astrophysics in progress.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Pure black or white floors show every speck of dust.—
Marisa Suzanne Martin,
The Spruce,
6 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Hingham peppered the Notre Dame (11-5-3) net in the first half, out-shooting the Cougars at an 8-0 clip.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
8 Nov. 2025
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Mamdani did make some nods to boosting bureaucratic efficiency and improving public safety, but populists always pepper their speeches with promises that almost everyone can support.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
7 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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