as in flecks
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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as in sprinkles
to mark with small spots especially unevenly
old papers that were mottled by mold
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for mottles
Noun
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The person who seems least surprised by it all is Matsuzawa, perhaps the league’s only 27-year-old rookie with flecks of gray in his hair.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
15 May 2026 -
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
Verb
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Pastry chef Sahar Shomali, Kouzeh’s owner, sprinkles her version with black and white sesame seeds, cumin and fresh dill.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2026
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Use a watering can or hose that sprinkles the water to evenly distribute it among the seeds.—
Heather Bien,
The Spruce,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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From the summit of Monte Gambarogno, the towns hugging the shore of Lake Maggiore appear as tiny specks, dwarfed by the snowcapped southern Alps to the north.—
Lisa Kadane,
Travel + Leisure,
1 May 2026
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Silvery or mottled patches on leaves, brown or distorted petal edges, dark specks (feces) or flower buds that fail to open are signs of thrips.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
15 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Prepare to be dazzled from Warsaw’s highest viewing terrace atop Varso Tower, which proudly dots the skyline, before eating your way through the innovative food halls that define the coolest neighborhoods.—
Kasia Dietz,
Travel + Leisure,
13 May 2026
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Japanese linens top the bed, and designer furniture dots the living space.—
Erika Owen,
Architectural Digest,
1 May 2026
Noun
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Soon, red blotches were sprouting on his skin.—
Mary Beth Sheridan,
CNN Money,
17 May 2026
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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
Verb
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What Sacks doesn’t get is that by financing and diplomatically supporting Israel, our country makes the crimes of the Israeli government possible, which stains America’s reputation in the world and drains our Treasury.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 Mar. 2026
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Every failure of the state now stains the turban as well as the uniform.—
Bobby Ghosh,
Time,
5 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Muted guitars twirl in curlicued shapes, fleshed out by harp, woodwinds, and brass; clanking bells and mbira-like harmonics flare up in quiet patches, and background vocals fan across the stereo field.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
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The dog, who is gray with white patches, was stuck in the space for two days, according to News Channel 5 Nashville.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
19 May 2026
Verb
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The brands that win are the ones where the audience spots the tension first.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2026
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The uncanny vision is made even eerier when Hoop spots her late mother dragging her five children through the human tide.—
Philip Sherburne,
Pitchfork,
19 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Mottles.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/mottles. Accessed 21 May. 2026.
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