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
Relevance
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
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
-
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
-
Cowboy hats, oversized belt buckles and Western boots dominated the arrivals for both men and women, while a few sprinkled in Vegas-worthy sparkle.—
Ryma Chikhoune,
Footwear News,
18 May 2026
-
And Crawford has been sprinkling in a secret catchphrase no one has caught on to yet.—
Rohan Nadkarni,
NBC news,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
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
-
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
-
Downstairs, in his office, a wall was dotted with more than a hundred miniature college-team helmets.—
Dan Greene,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
Pantelleria Closer to Tunisia than mainland Italy, Pantelleria is a remote volcanic island dotted with traditional dammusi, thick-walled, domed stone dwellings built to keep out the heat.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
Noun
-
Sunset picnics stretch for hours, multigenerational families claiming the same patch of sand summer after summer.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
-
The ants can also be pests by creating bare patches around their nests.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
Verb
-
Sometimes, though, the tree dropped little brown fruits, inedible berries that stained everything and drove me into the glaring sun.—
Abraham Jiménez Enoa,
The Dial,
19 May 2026
-
In the seven-time Grand Slam champion’s spread, shot by Ethan James Green, Alcaraz posed in an all-white ensemble of a vest, shorts, a top and a suit, stained with clay.—
Ava Wallace,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
Noun
-
As in Kourliandski’s quartet, specks and splatters of sound are interspersed with silences.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
-
The titular town is a serene speck of a place in the west of Japan, near a mountain also called Nagi, a beautiful but raggedy landscape that patchworks swathes of virgin forest, farmed fields and twinkling solar panels.—
Leslie Felperin,
HollywoodReporter,
13 May 2026
Verb
-
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
-
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 20 May. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
