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mottled 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of mottlednext
1
as in colored
having blotches of two or more colors a mottled complexion

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots mottled leather upholstery that isn't supposed to look perfect

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

mottled

2 of 2

verb

past tense of mottle
as in sprinkled
to mark with small spots especially unevenly old papers that were mottled by mold

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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 mottled
Adjective
The first, inspired by vintage luxury, is a mottled gold frame with bead wood. — Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 25 Aug. 2026 The shallowest sections near the coast appear bright aquamarine, the deepest shift toward cobalt or lapis, and a mottled turquoise fills the space between. — Sarah Bruning, Travel + Leisure, 6 Aug. 2026
Verb
Its flowers are huge and orange, marked or mottled with maroon splotches. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2026 The foliage is typically mottled with silvery or light green variegation. — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for mottled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottled
  1. colored
  2. dotted
  3. sprinkled
  4. marbled
  5. speckled
  6. stained
  7. blotched
  8. flecked
Adjective
  • Initially built in 1866 but finished in 1871, the completion year is written in colored slate on the mansard roof.
    — Richard Lane, Des Moines Register, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Besides the baseball cap, the suspect was wearing a light-colored short-sleeve shirt and khaki pants the night of the attack, cops said.
    — Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of colored
Adjective
  • To reduce confusion, the top plate has a dotted pattern around each key position that can accept a magnetic switch.
    — Francisco Lahoz, PC Magazine, 12 Sep. 2026
  • The black dotted forecast line shows the multi-model median whereas the surrounding range shows the 25th–75th percentiles.
    — Deena Zaidi, CNBC, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of dotted
Verb
  • With red and yellow confetti sprinkled around them on the field, Mom and Dad gave their little girl a smooch.
    — Alexandra Schonfeld, PEOPLE, 17 Sep. 2026
  • For the final touch, bright red pomegranate arils are sprinkled over the top.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of sprinkled
Adjective
  • Jam Crumb Cake Spreadable fruit jam ribbons through this buttery crumb cake, sinking here and there for a marbled look.
    — Ginger Crichton, Midwest Living, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The aesthetic was moody and design-forward, with marbled charcoal gray walls and splashy, large-scale portrait photography.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of marbled
Adjective
  • Tegu These fat, speckled lizards hail from Argentina and arrived in Florida with a hunger for eggs— alligator, turtle, tortoise and bird alike.
    — Alex Harris August 25, Miami Herald, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Bred at the organization’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research, the tiny, speckled frogs have been reintroduced at several different high-elevation mountain habitats, including Bluff Lake in the Big Bear Valley.
    — Bailey Richards, PEOPLE, 24 Aug. 2026
Definition of speckled
Verb
  • The case has attracted widespread attention because the nature of Fortune’s death recalled lynchings in the Southern state, which has a tumultuous civil rights history stained by episodes of racial violence.
    — Sophie Bates, Los Angeles Times, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Several others said the incident has stained India’s credibility and the Hindu religion.
    — Rhea Mogul, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of stained
Adjective
  • The whole rug needs to get wet or colors in the fiber could migrate and result in a blotched look.
    — The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025
Definition of blotched
Verb
  • The pillowy dough is flecked with cinnamon and crowded with tender chunks of apple.
    — Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • Mikey Madison’s pink- and purple-flecked tinsel became one of the defining beauty details of Ani in 2024’s Anora, while Zara Larsson has made shimmering, maximalist hair a fixture of her Midnight Sun era.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 19 Sep. 2026
Definition of flecked

Browse Nearby Words

mottle
mottled
mottles
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Cite this Entry

“Mottled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottled. Accessed 24 Sep. 2026.

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