mottle 1 of 2

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

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
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
Remains of a Styrofoam food container, mottled with mud. Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 June 2025 Red spots mottled his face; Edwards was sick with measles, too. Elizabeth Robinson, NBC news, 4 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
  • Dark brown blotches of varying sizes dot their sides and back.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
  • This fungal disease appears as gray blotches on the bark, eventually developing into sunken cankers.
    Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • It can be sprinkled on infested carpet to quickly exterminate any present carpet beetles, then vacuumed up after two hours.
    Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Kevin O’Connell will no doubt endeavor to get McCarthy off to a strong scripted start, and the Minnesota game plan from there should be centered around easy completions with the occasional big-time throw sprinkled in.
    J.J. Bailey, New York Times, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The light brown hair, worn in an all-purpose crop, bears flecks of gray.
    Nathan Heller, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Yes, these flecks are seeds that were once inside of a vanilla bean, confirms Britton.
    Karla Walsh, Better Homes & Gardens, 24 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The kitchen towels have an orange and white gingham pattern dotted with dainty pumpkins.
    Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • In any case, this costume would probably go over best with a crowd of theater kids and/or people who are annoying about movies, also known as the exact Venn Diagram that is the staff of Them dot us.
    James Factora, Them., 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Then, pick a patch of sky 40 degrees away in the direction of your local zenith, which is the point directly above your head.
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Look closely near the corners or edges of the frame for a blurry patch, smeared light, or a soft square that looks slightly out of focus — that’s where the watermark used to be.
    Jennifer Jolly, USA Today, 20 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After washing new jeans, use a damp cloth to remove any lingering dyes that can stain the plastic parts and lid of your washing machine.
    Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 18 Oct. 2025
  • Police added that no evidence of postmortem fractures were found on the remains, adding that forensic investigators found soil adherence and staining that suggest the remains may have been in the ground for over five decades.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 17 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The tiny black specks of vanilla pack a surprisingly aromatic punch.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 Oct. 2025
  • The room is shadowy but lively, with the sense that there are things going on in every speck of the frame.
    Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Oilers effectively peppered the Canucks netminder, landing 37 shots on goal, to just 15 for Vancouver.
    MSNBC Newsweek, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
  • Kuminga scored 13 points on 5 of 8 shooting, overwhelming defenders at the rim with his athleticism, and peppering in a slick catch-and-shoot jumper from the short corner for three points.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 13 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 25 Oct. 2025.

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