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
The soil was mottled with sheep droppings and uneven patches of grass. Jaime Moore-Carrillo, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025 These spots stand out against dark brown backgrounds, mottling their typically beige or gray bodies. Katie Liu, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for mottle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottle
Noun
  • This fungal disease causes yellow blotches on pumpkins, tomato leaves, squash and cucumbers.
    Clarence Schmidt, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Apr. 2025
  • Photos depict a heartbreaking sight, with Hector’s rib cage protruding through his weakened body as red blotches line his ivory and brown coat.
    TJ Macias, Miami Herald, 7 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The American Salad Book, written by Maximilian De Loup, and published in 1899, includes a salad of fresh pears, peeled and sliced, sprinkled with sugar, drizzled with a maraschino or ginger syrup and served with cream.
    Anne Byrn, Southern Living, 9 May 2025
  • Only a handful of headstones are sprinkled throughout the 1-acre tract at the front of Five Points Park near Johnson C. Smith University.
    Briah Lumpkins, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2025
Noun
  • This nude lipstick shade has just a touch of warmth to it, plus gold flecks that catch the light for fuller-looking lips.
    Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 6 May 2025
  • For all his flaws, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s willingness to speak openly about autism as a public health concern led some of us to find flecks of hope in his arrival as secretary of health and human services.
    Mark Kendall, Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • The series of parables and contained narratives are also dotted with evidence of time travel.
    Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 13 May 2025
  • In spring, the area will be dotted with wild blooms of sticky monkey flower, canyon sunflower and golden yarrow.
    Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 13 May 2025
Noun
  • Such a rough patch at Barcelona, where Miami’s elite quartet — and Mascherano — plied their trade, would have likely been catastrophic.
    Martin Rogers, New York Times, 12 May 2025
  • Soon after release, one more major lighting feature, Ray Reconstruction, will be added in a post-launch patch.
    Matthew Buzzi, PC Magazine, 12 May 2025
Verb
  • Water can stain or fade many silk fabrics, leaving a permanent mark if it isn't taken care of quickly.
    Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
  • Tuesday’s attack – during which men were singled out and gunned down from close range, according to survivors’ testimony – was the latest in a list of bloody incidents to stain the region.
    Aishwarya S Iyer, CNN Money, 26 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Now it’s just popped up on the market again for a speck under $11.6 million, with Shana Rohde-Lynch of Compass holding the listing.
    Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 2 May 2025
  • These insects appear in early spring as tiny dark specks.
    Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Despite peppering Providence goaltender Michael DiPietro with 40 shots while surrendering just 19, the Checkers fell 3-2 in Game 3 of their AHL Atlantic Division semifinal series.
    Colin Cerniglia, Charlotte Observer, 8 May 2025
  • Khosrowshahi defended the policy changes against feisty employees who peppered him with questions and criticism at the company meeting and on Uber’s internal forum, according to audio and correspondence obtained by CNBC.
    Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 6 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Mottle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottle. Accessed 18 May. 2025.

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