Thesaurus results for MOTTLE

mottle 1 of 2

noun

ˈmä-tᵊl

Definition of mottle

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

The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains. — Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mottle

Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle

Noun

Verticillium wilt causes similar blotches and yellowing.

— Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2026
Pine snakes can grow up to 56 inches in length, have black, brown, and russet scales with dark blotches along their backs, and are noted for having a pointed nose, which experts believe may help with burrowing.

— Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026

Definition of blotch

Verb

Though there are monuments and memorials — sidewalk plaques, benches, murals — sprinkled around the globe, there appear to be very few Jackson statues permanently displayed in the United States.

— Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 17 July 2026
The reason gardeners sprinkle cayenne pepper in their yards is for pest control.

— Molly Burford, Southern Living, 17 July 2026

Definition of sprinkle

Verb

Lake Norman also is dotted with artificial reefs, said Billy Wilson, who serves as a board member of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation and the president of its Lake Norman chapter.

— Laura Horne, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2026
Construction cranes are bringing office towers to an area once dotted with auto body shops, small storefronts, and single family homes.

— Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 July 2026

Definition of dot

Noun

On a warm July afternoon near Fairbanks, a volunteer with the Alaska Bee Atlas kneels beside a patch of blooming fireweed, gently sweeping a net through the air.

— Timothy Bundy, Washington Post, 17 July 2026
How to spot Perseid shooting stars Perseid meteors can be spotted anytime after dark from tonight onwards, streaking away from a patch of sky, or radiant, located close to the red supergiant star Eta Persei in the constellation Perseus.

— Anthony Wood, Space.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of patch

Verb

But the tournament will also be remembered for a classless and churlish Argentina, which forever stained itself with a thuggish performance in the game and an ungracious one afterward.

— Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 21 July 2026
Now—before there is another name, another van, another street stained with blood that didn't have to be spilled.

— Kica Matos, Time, 17 July 2026

Definition of stain

Noun

Tucked into the foothills above Point Dome, the property is listed for a speck under $5 million.

— Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 17 July 2026
Rather than waiting several years to look at the object through the VLT once more, Sutlieff, Bonse and their colleagues dove into older, archival imagery of the star system, looking for signs of their speck.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 15 July 2026

Definition of speck

Verb

Lacy, who is famously fluid in his sexuality and laughs off any attempt to define it, peppers his songs with dreams of men and women, of wanting each yet leaving everyone.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 22 July 2026
The world’s already richest clubs pepper the top of the list — Barcelona, second four years ago, are also second in our estimate — which stands to reason given it is their players who are most likely to feature on the world stage.

— Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 21 July 2026

Definition of pepper

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motorways

mottle

mottled

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“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 25 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of mottle

noun

verb

Example Sentences

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