pale 1 of 3

adjective

ˈpāl How to pronounce pale (audio)
Definition of palenext
1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in pallid
lacking a healthy skin color after a week with the flu, she was deathly pale and noticeably thinner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in vague
not seen or understood clearly a pale outline off in the distance proved to be someone out for a walk

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pale

2 of 3

verb

as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pale

3 of 3

noun

as in paling

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Dissimilar Words

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 pale
Adjective
The production of only eumelanin decreases in hot, dry regions, resulting in reddish body coloration, whereas the production of both types of melanin is reduced in very cold regions, resulting in pale body coloration. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026 Behind her was a pale-wood conference room, the walls empty except for a framed photograph of an early S90, the iconic car that made the brand global. — Harvard Business Review, 3 Sep. 2026
Verb
Obviously, paled in comparison to some of the other people singing that night. — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 July 2026 And while Shakira drew big cheers, as did the appearance of Bieber, these paled in comparison to the cheers and oh’s and ah’s in the crowd throughout the gripping final. — Caitlin Huston, HollywoodReporter, 19 July 2026
Noun
Some things do seem beyond the pale to this group. — Justin Worland, Time, 28 May 2026 Thus, anger management classes and guidebooks have risen to this challenge and seek to aid people in managing anger that is beyond the pale. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
  1. faded
  2. pallid
  3. vague
  4. bleach
  5. wall
  6. light
  7. faint
  8. fade
Adjective
  • Not to mention, its faded ivy tone is the perfect autumn hue.
    — Kyra Surgent, InStyle, 4 Sep. 2026
  • Ben Rahilly owns an appliance store, a gift shop, a furniture store and a concrete business in Newberry, a faded logging town about 60 miles west of the Canadian border.
    — Russ McNamara, NPR, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of faded
Adjective
  • The pallid grayness of Mike Eley’s cinematography is probably supposed to mimic the finality of HIV/AIDS taking hold, but there’s no passion aesthetically to counterbalance what becomes absolute misery onscreen to watch.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Young people in particular have soured on the technology over the last year, a development that may at least partially be explained by a pallid entry-level job market.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of pallid
Adjective
  • Occasionally, there is a vague resignation, but direct accountability is rare.
    — Brian O'Neill, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Find the point where judgment disappeared, ownership became vague or an old instruction remained available after its context changed.
    — Mani Padisetti, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of vague
Verb
  • There have also been concerns over toilet paper that is bleached, as bleaching can create dioxins, and concerns over toilet paper that includes formaldehyde, a carcinogen.
    — Jillian Pretzel, Time, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The researchers first treated the cotton with sodium dithionite, a reducing agent, before bleaching it with hydrogen peroxide under alkaline conditions.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of bleach
Noun
  • But as is often the case when a larger movement collides with sports, the athlete participation in a larger movement inspires those same players to push for change within their own walls.
    — Jerry Brewer, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • With two outs, Hernández tripled and the ball skipped past charging center fielder Dane Myers, who chased it to the wall.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of wall
Adjective
  • Engineers have spent decades searching for lighter, tougher armor to withstand these cosmic bullets.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The facility serves general aviation aircraft including private, corporate, charter, air ambulance, law enforcement, fire rescue, flight training and light cargo.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of light
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, her cheeks and lips were accented with a faint swipe of peach blush and rose gloss, and her lashes were coated in black mascara, giving the overall look a refined appeal.
    — Kaleigh Werner, Footwear News, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Even as their faint rally began to flourish in the eighth inning, there was no credible reason to believe the ending would be any different this time.
    — Andrew Baggarly, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of faint
Verb
  • None of this happened by accident, and the proof is in the long list of former Dell competitors from its founding era, who have faded into oblivion.
    — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The sense of historic possibility that once made the jihadi movement so threatening to Western countries has faded.
    — Daniel Byman, Foreign Affairs, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of fade

Browse Nearby Words

palavers
pale
paled
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Cite this Entry

“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 15 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pale

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pale

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