mottle 1 of 2

noun

ˈmä-tᵊl How to pronounce mottle (audio)
Definition of mottlenext
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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mottle

2 of 2

verb

as in to sprinkle
to mark with small spots especially unevenly old papers that were mottled by mold

Synonyms & Similar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of 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
Its flowers are huge and orange, marked or mottled with maroon splotches. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
  1. blotch
  2. sprinkle
  3. fleck
  4. dot
  5. patch
  6. stain
  7. speck
  8. pepper
Noun
  • Juveniles can be distinguished by their dark facial bands and gray or tan body patterned with black or brown blotches.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Crews are also using steam to remove blotches of chewing gum, which have turned black over time.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of blotch
Verb
  • At Waxwork, the band got to make the vinyl themselves by sprinkling the dust onto the wax and pressing it.
    — Jaeden Pinder, Rolling Stone, 9 Oct. 2026
  • The Fort Worth list indicates restaurants mostly downtown, the Shops at Clearfork and a few sprinkled in the Stockyards.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of sprinkle
Noun
  • As few as 10 cells, hidden in an infinitesimal fleck of feces, can contaminate raw milk and trigger a fatal infection.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 1 Oct. 2026
  • The oversized jacket featured a furry white base adorned with flecks of silver, which beautifully mirrored the sumptuous coats on the runway.
    — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of fleck
Verb
  • At the opposite end, the sundeck is dotted with sun loungers, a bar, and a dining table.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The storm made landfall Friday near Destin, Florida, a Gulf Coast area known for powdery white-sand beaches and dotted with vacation homes, waterfront bars, and seafood shacks.
    — Erika Angulo, NBC news, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of dot
Noun
  • People with plaque psoriasis fight a constant battle with painful, flaky patches that can appear on some of the most visible parts of the skin.
    — Alice Park, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • By noon the sky seemed lighter, but a fresh wind kept patches of dust swirling in the street.
    — Gerald R. Hunter, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of patch
Verb
  • Bookshelves are crammed with novels and almanacs, the wood boards of the ceilings stained dark in delicious contrast to the clean white walls and creamy linen furnishings.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
  • The yellow color from the fenbendazole stained his white goatee.
    — Trisha Thadani Kirsten Potter Tanya Pérez Devin Murphy, New York Times, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of stain
Noun
  • The source was generally in good condition, but mold spots and dense clusters of small white specks required careful treatment.
    — Lin Ying-Hsuan, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Breakouts can look like milder, painless white bumps or dark specks known as whiteheads and blackheads, or more painful red bumps and deeper cysts — a mark of cystic acne.
    — Adithi Ramakrishnan, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of speck
Verb
  • Surprising, quirky additions are peppered throughout, such as a small trompe l’oeil ceiling fresco of a conservatory roof, complete with climbing roses and birds.
    — Julia Wytrazek, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Acoustic wooden bafflers frame the space and help create a sense of intimacy, with grand works from local artists peppered about and instilling a tangible sense of place.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of pepper

Browse Nearby Words

motorways
mottle
mottled
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Cite this Entry

“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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