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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of mottled
Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 7 July 2025
Quiet time to wonder, daydream and relish the mottled bark of sycamore trees has fallen by the wayside.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2025
What looks like something tangled, speckled or mottled, clearly out of place amid a cluster of broken rushes, cattails, algae, has captured her excited attention.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 June 2025
Designated the state bird of Alaska in 1955, this rotund creature takes on a drastically different appearance depending on the season, with snow-white plumage in the winter and mottled brown feathers during the warmer seasons.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottled
Adjective
The outcome is a pleasingly mottled appearance that earns comparisons to denim, which is similarly woven with a colored warp and a white weft but is milled as a more dense and substantial twill.
—Eric Twardzik, Robb Report, 7 July 2025
Quiet time to wonder, daydream and relish the mottled bark of sycamore trees has fallen by the wayside.
—Patricia Steckler, Baltimore Sun, 18 June 2025
What looks like something tangled, speckled or mottled, clearly out of place amid a cluster of broken rushes, cattails, algae, has captured her excited attention.
—Lizz Schumer, People.com, 17 June 2025
Designated the state bird of Alaska in 1955, this rotund creature takes on a drastically different appearance depending on the season, with snow-white plumage in the winter and mottled brown feathers during the warmer seasons.
—Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 25 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mottled
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottled
Adjective
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The sale features the cream option for light-colored style combinations or a pop of contrast with darker clothes.—
Caley Sturgill,
Southern Living,
7 Sep. 2025
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During their first night out together, the couple ducks into a Spanish nightclub, drinking under a smear of colored lights and then dancing.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Prospects seem good that someone will sign on the dotted line during or soon after the Toronto event.—
Julie Hinds,
Freep.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Meanwhile, at Copenhagen Fashion Week in August, show-goers seemed to favor the print above the usual suspects — florals, stripes and leopard spots — with several completing their looks with dotted neck ties, windbreakers, blazers, bloomer shorts or bandanas.—
Natalie Hammond,
CNN Money,
25 Aug. 2025
Verb
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This article is specific to DraftKings with a little bit of FanDuel sprinkled in.—
Gladys Louise Tyler,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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Bone meal sprinkled around the plant and watered into the soil is a good source of phosphorus.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
5 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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This is beautifully marbled, deeply beefy, strikingly umami meat from older cattle.—
Andy Wang,
Forbes.com,
1 Sep. 2025
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Soothing earth tones and warm wood accents mix with fresh greenery and marbled floors and large, comfy couches and chairs are an inviting way to welcome guests in.—
Elliott Harrell,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Inside were speckled field peas and heirloom butterbeans, both products of a lifetime of growing and saving seeds within his community.—
Lila Hempel-Edgers,
Charlotte Observer,
2 Sep. 2025
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The forewings have black spots at the front, with a speckled band at the rear.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
27 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Orangey-stained, beveled oak cabinets?—
Betsy Cribb Watson,
Southern Living,
31 Aug. 2025
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During the Lanna Kingdom, which began in the 13th century, teeth stained from betel chewing were considered a sign of beauty.—
Elizabeth Rayne,
ArsTechnica,
19 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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An invasive planthopper native to Asia, the spotted lanternfly is thought to have entered the U.S. via egg masses on a stone shipment in 2012, according to Cornell Integrated Pest Management.—
Katie Nixon,
The Tennessean,
25 Aug. 2025
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The shoe got endorsements from celebrities early on after their rerelease, with stars like Dua Lipa, Emily Ratajkowski and more spotted wearing it.—
Karla Rodriguez,
Footwear News,
8 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Éclairs with glossy chocolate tops, macarons in muted pastels that feel like edible architecture, madeleines flecked with salt or spice.—
Daniel Scheffler,
Forbes.com,
27 Aug. 2025
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Or try the takikomi gohan — a hot stone pot of crispy rice flecked with roasted mushrooms, edamame and sweet pea shoots and sauced with black garlic oil and a glossy egg yolk.—
Miami Herald,
Miami Herald,
19 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Mottled.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottled. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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