opalescent

adjective

ˌō-pə-ˈle-sᵊnt How to pronounce opalescent (audio)
Definition of opalescentnext
as in iridescent
having a rainbowlike play of colors once given away as a cheap prize at carnivals, this opalescent glass is now highly prized by collectors

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 opalescent Look to opalescent chrome powders, which can shift from pink to blue to green and give a milky white manicure underneath some unexpected pizzazz. — Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 23 May 2026 Orlando sees their house from a distance below them, small as an opalescent shell. — Literary Hub, 5 Mar. 2026 As the world outside begins to resemble the full-moon mating frenzy of the opalescent squid, crack open Sylvia Townsend Warner’s 1948 novel about nuns eking out an existence in a 14th-century convent and one night of celibacy might not seem so bad. — Air Mail, 14 Feb. 2026 To determine the impact of these conservation goals, scientists need a way to understand the true size of the opalescent squid population. — Jules Jacobs, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for opalescent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for opalescent
  1. iridescent
  2. nacreous
  3. colorful
  4. pearlescent
Adjective
  • Sip on your potions with an iridescent coffee mug this Halloween season.
    — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The dress was designed to evoke the iridescent quality of mother of pearl with a beaded leather bustier and a multi-layered pleated silk chiffon skirt that was hand-painted to mimic the shiny surface of shells.
    — Kevin Huynh, InStyle, 31 July 2026
Definition of iridescent
Adjective
  • Quahogs produce non-nacreous, porcelainlike pearls, according to the Gemological Institute of America.
    — Shannon Marvel McNaught, USA TODAY, 16 Aug. 2022
  • Markov processes include an element of randomness—in this case, the thickness of the outermost nacreous layer—but one that can be influenced by the system’s history.
    — Leila Sloman, Popular Mechanics, 28 Feb. 2022
Definition of nacreous
Adjective
  • The change extends across the company’s cereal portfolio, which includes colorful favorites Lucky Charms and Trix, plus Cheerios, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Cocoa Puffs, Chex, Wheaties, Reese’s Puffs, Kix and the seasonal Monster Cereals, among others.
    — Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 27 Aug. 2026
  • This was the era when Parton discovered that her fearless purview and colorful fashion sense could attract fans well beyond her core country constituency.
    — Craig Jenkins, Vulture, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of colorful
Adjective
  • The elastic waistband shouldn’t dig into your skin no matter how long you’re seated for, and the practically pearlescent fabric will be a standout in photos throughout your vacation.
    — Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 5 Aug. 2026
  • Casillas then swept a champagne color under her brows and a shimmery, pearlescent hue underneath her lower lashline, and paired the blue eye shadow with fluttery lashes and majorly dewy pink blush.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 9 July 2026
Definition of pearlescent

Browse Nearby Words

opacity
opalescent
opalescently
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Cite this Entry

“Opalescent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/opalescent. Accessed 28 Aug. 2026.

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