1
as in faded
lacking intensity of color
we chose a very pale pink for the walls of the room
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to bleach
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in paling
Related Words
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
Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Abott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson, who arrived in a pale peach power suit, reminded us that style doesn’t clock out after school hours.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Jan. 2026
Sophia Panych, Allure, 6 Dec. 2025
The New York school principal had gotten every question right, but his buzzer game Monday paled in comparison to Whitaker's 36.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Nov. 2025
AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Father was turning green-pale now, as a shadow moved across his face and beads of pearl sweat bubbled on his face.
—Literary Hub, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale
Adjective
The beautiful smell of Marriott’s signature scent is both inspiring and mysterious, blended with top notes of cassis, sparkling Fuji apple, grapefruit, cyclamen, paired with the subtle notes of pink jasmine, rose, lily of the valley, mountain sage, white cedar, and pale musk.
—Caroline Hughes, Travel + Leisure, 6 Jan. 2026
Meanwhile, Abott Elementary’s Quinta Brunson, who arrived in a pale peach power suit, reminded us that style doesn’t clock out after school hours.
—Larry Stansbury, Essence, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
At August Barron, makeup artist Thomas de Kluyver dipped into the matte Haus Labs Hy-Power Pigment Paints, mixing primary shades with white to pale them out.
—Sophia Panych, Allure, 6 Dec. 2025
The New York school principal had gotten every question right, but his buzzer game Monday paled in comparison to Whitaker's 36.
—John Tufts, IndyStar, 24 Nov. 2025
Noun
The earth stretched flat in every direction, almost to the horizon—a pale, cracked crust, vaguely lunar.
—AFAR Media, 30 Oct. 2025
Father was turning green-pale now, as a shadow moved across his face and beads of pearl sweat bubbled on his face.
—Literary Hub, 3 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
Adjective
-
Meanwhile, her glam was soft and even-toned, bolstered only by a sharp baby wing of black liner, highlight on her nose and a faded taupe hue on her lips.—
Kaleigh Werner,
Footwear News,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Each of the 22 pages, about the size of those in a typical hardcover book, is inscribed on both sides with easily visible black and faded-brown words written by the monks.—
Ethan Baron,
Mercury News,
24 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Out of the bloodstains shone a pair of bright blue eyes, and a heart was beating under the pallid skin that looked several sizes too big.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Jan. 2026
-
Three weeks after that hit that sent a crowd of 75,261 at Empower Field into a pallid silence, Bryant is ever the same.—
Joe Nguyen,
Denver Post,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
In response to the government’s vague language on alcohol, many sober influencers have posted videos reminding their followers that fun can be had without drinking.—
Aria Bendix,
NBC news,
24 Jan. 2026
-
With Luna squaring Jupiter across your aspirational 11th house and your resourceful 2nd house, vague group ideas might actually come to fruition.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Whether hair is bleached, color treated, or frequently heat styled, this formula aims to minimize breakage, reduce frizz, and smooth the appearance of split ends for a healthier-looking finish.—
Conçetta Ciarlo,
Vogue,
23 Jan. 2026
-
Schjerfbeck also liked the way Degas bleached his pastels to deaden their tone.—
Zachary Fine,
New Yorker,
19 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Closely following Ford's spinoff of the Transit Custom line as a lighter, more passenger car-like FWD van alternative sized to compete with midsize vans like the Volkswagen Transporter and Citroën Berlingo, the Nugget slid over to the smaller, more efficient van platform.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
29 Jan. 2026
-
These hues are complemented by light gray furniture and pops of green via various houseplants.—
Lennie Omalza,
Louisville Courier Journal,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Even during moderate storms, auroras can appear as faint, gray or milky arcs to the naked eye, while appearing vivid in photographs.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
27 Jan. 2026
-
This allows exposures stretching up to 30 minutes, soaking up huge amounts of light to reveal incredibly faint objects in sharp detail.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
26 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The notion of grief gradually fades into the backdrop, finally re-emerging in a manner that is, thanks to the film’s lumpy tonal mixture, more confusing than emotionally cleansing.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
23 Jan. 2026
-
But even a full-bodied brass section and some formidable multi-part harmonies can’t stop the song from fading into a 18-track lineup of anemic lounge-funk flips with near-uniform tempos.—
Hattie Lindert,
Pitchfork,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
At its heart is a 38-meter-high domed lounge with dazzling gold-and-maroon Islamic fretwork walls and an enormous chandelier.—
Rebecca Ann Hughes,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
-
By tapping on walls and talking through toilets, word of Reagan's 'provocation' quickly spread throughout the prison.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
