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
Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Feb. 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
Foliage is mottled in white, green, and pink or burgundy, while branches grow in zigzag fashion.
—Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 14 Feb. 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
-
These grow to form blotches that have lighter and darker zones appearing as irregular concentric rings that grow throughout the season until the entire leaf turns black and dies.—
Tim Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
3 May 2026
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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
Verb
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Add the chicken to the pan and sprinkle with garam masala.—
Sarah Martens,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 May 2026
-
If the figs aren’t perfectly ripe, sprinkle them with brown sugar and a dot of butter to help them along.—
Anna Grace Lee,
Vogue,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Powerful new lasers and x-rays are enabling geologists like Korolev, a researcher at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City, to probe increasingly small flecks of minerals in deep diamonds.—
James Dinneen,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
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Our recipe studs egg filling with flecks of green onions, bacon, and a generous helping of Swiss cheese.—
Lisa Cericola,
Southern Living,
5 May 2026
Verb
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Shop and eat your way along Historic Downtown Fernandina Beach, the 50-block Victorian seaport village dotted with local eateries and eclectic shops.—
Lisa A. Beach,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
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Six permanent outdoor works are dotted around the property, including a large rocket by Polish artist Goshka Macuga and a shocking pink tree, commissioned specifically for the island, by Pamela Rosenkranz.—
Fiona Sinclair Scott,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
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Sunset picnics stretch for hours, multigenerational families claiming the same patch of sand summer after summer.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
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The ants can also be pests by creating bare patches around their nests.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Leave enough room to mow around the tree, cut it back each season, and make any repairs to your fence, such as staining or board replacement.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
10 May 2026
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In some stretches, the water is stained with chemical residue.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
Noun
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The reward for doing business without a speck of conscience is potentially billions.—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
10 May 2026
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All morning extra-sized barges loaded up passengers from the Giardini, scooted around the Arsenale, past the famous glass-blowing island of Murano, and then approached the Island of San Giacomo—a tiny speck on a map, but quite formidable in person.—
Nate Freeman,
Vanity Fair,
8 May 2026
Verb
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Here, guests can browse hula instruments, indigenous fishing tools, and pepper the super-knowledgeable staff with questions.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
14 May 2026
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Becerra peppered his speech with bursts of Spanish.—
Ben Paviour,
Sacbee.com,
12 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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