1
as in colored
having blotches of two or more colors
a mottled complexion
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in dotted
marked with spots
mottled leather upholstery that isn't supposed to look perfect
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in sprinkled
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
old papers that were mottled by mold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mottled
Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
The surface appears slightly mottled or burnished, giving it the feel of something that’s been hand-made and used for years.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026
Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 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 mottled
Adjective
But then how is Stu, with mottled skin, calling up Sidney and conducting threatening live video-phone chats with her?
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 26 Feb. 2026
The surface appears slightly mottled or burnished, giving it the feel of something that’s been hand-made and used for years.
—Lauren Bengtson, Better Homes & Gardens, 25 Feb. 2026
Verb
The air rang with random alarms; the soft surfaces were mottled with mystery stains.
—Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 26 Mar. 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 mottled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottled
Adjective
-
Tea service at Le Salon is worth a booking to experience the delights of delicate finger sandwiches, pastel-colored confections, and A-plus people-watching.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Seconds later, several others run by and a light-colored sedan speeds off.—
Mark Prussin,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Older homes made of wood, which are more prone to igniting, are dotted throughout.—
Lauren Sommer,
NPR,
10 Apr. 2026
-
Another six dead roaches dotted kitchen area light shields.—
David J. Neal,
Miami Herald,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
Kamala Harris, Hillary Clinton, and John Kerry are other beneficiaries of the $84 million that the Mandels have sprinkled to Democratic campaigns over time, according to Federal Election Commission records.—
Gabe Kaminsky,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
City of Careless Angels is uneven, sprinkled with boilerplate indie signifiers and sometimes juvenile fixations on heartbreak.—
Donald Morrison,
Pitchfork,
14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The apartment is nicely located but a bit frozen in time with current listing photos showing wall-to-wall brown carpeting, white-marbled bathrooms, and a painting of beach palm trees hanging in the living room.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
15 Apr. 2026
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Troupe says the best way to spend a winter day is by sipping local marbled cold brew from Caffé D'arte in Pioneer Square and walking through Occidental Square to admire the holiday lights.—
Scott Bay,
Travel + Leisure,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Seven native rattlesnake species are in California, including the Mojave, Western diamondback, red diamond, Southern Pacific, Northern Pacific, Great Basin, and the speckled rattlesnake.—
Jasmine Mendez
Follow,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Mar. 2026
-
The casing comes in the same colors with a speckled effect made from the Volt color.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
These areas are most productive on sunny days or when the water’s stained.—
Joe Cermele,
Outdoor Life,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Infantino’s time in power has been praised — often by FIFA itself — as a reformist presidency following the scandals and FBI investigations that stained the organization.—
Adam Crafton,
New York Times,
9 Apr. 2026
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
-
Its leaves are deciduous and sometimes white-blotched.—
Howard Garrett,
Dallas News,
16 Aug. 2021
Verb
-
The biscuits, flecked with frilly sprigs of dill, are pulled together with sour cream, giving them tenderness and a mild tang.—
Jesse Szewczyk,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
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Locked in a safe on her desk at Boston University’s Institute for Astrophysical Research is a shard of meteorite flecked with material older than the sun.—
James Dinneen,
Quanta Magazine,
2 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Mottled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottled. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
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