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
  • Photos show the Maratus australis spider, which has an intricate pattern of blue and brown blotches edged with bright teal and red-orange stripes.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The one blemish — or ugly blotch — was that crushing 7-2 Champions League defeat against Paris Saint-Germain last week.
    Sebastian Stafford-Bloor, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Others, like Havaizinho, were sprinkled with rustic beach huts selling sugarcane juice and beer, along with vendors renting umbrellas and chairs.
    David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Their twist on candy cane ice cream is refreshing, a little punchy, and sprinkled with peppermint candy for a little festive flair.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Nice vanilla bean flecks and round, fatty flavor with only the subtlest hint of coconut.
    Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 28 Oct. 2025
  • And Abrams-Draine still managed to emerge with just a few flecks of soot after getting thrown in the fire last season, picking off Justin Herbert in a loss to the Chargers and establishing himself as a building block in a spot start.
    Luca Evans, Denver Post, 27 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Yellow evidence markers dotted the ground and what appeared to be clothing laid on the pavement.
    Kirsten Fiscus, Nashville Tennessean, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Afterward, pop over to Reno to explore the public art sculptures from Burning Man, which dot the downtown area.
    Mark Ellwood, AFAR Media, 7 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Since 2003, labels of menopause treatments that contain estrogen – including pills, patches, sprays and creams – have warned that their use can increase the risk of uterine and breast cancers, as well as strokes and blood clots.
    Jacqueline Howard, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Therapies can be given through oral pills, patches or gels on the skin or vaginal rings.
    Tanya Lewis, Scientific American, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Scorched and stained pots and pans almost always require scraping and scouring, and cast-iron skillets can rust when soaked.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Julia Fox's costume consisted of a pink suit stained with fake blood, meant to resemble the former first lady shortly after the assassination of her husband.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • These black specks show up each autumn, congregating on my screens and windowsill, and complicating my desire to open the window on a pleasant day.
    Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The vacuum is dedicated to getting even the tiniest specks of dirt, circling back two or three times until the area is spotless.
    Terri Williams, Architectural Digest, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • 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
  • 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

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Cite this Entry

“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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