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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in paling
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pale
Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The waterside residential towers at the Surf Club, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier, showcase lots of glass, pale stone, and warm wood.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 May 2026
John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The team’s turnaround still pales in comparison to what Oklahoma City or San Antonio has done, emerging as title contenders with MVP-caliber players anchoring their lineups.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
The court found that was beyond the pale.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pale
Adjective
The longest plant and animal binomial names pale in comparison.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 8 May 2026
The waterside residential towers at the Surf Club, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Richard Meier, showcase lots of glass, pale stone, and warm wood.
—Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 6 May 2026
Verb
Being the offense’s engine is a completely different (and more challenging) assignment than being an off-ball threat, and while Knueppel might already be the best off-ball player in the league, the value of that role still pales behind that of a big, ballhandling wing.
—John Hollinger, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026
The team’s turnaround still pales in comparison to what Oklahoma City or San Antonio has done, emerging as title contenders with MVP-caliber players anchoring their lineups.
—Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 14 Apr. 2026
Noun
That your mother turned a blind eye (for financial or whatever reason) is beyond the pale.
—Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2026
The court found that was beyond the pale.
—Sonja Sharp, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pale
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pale
Adjective
-
When deadheading, cut where the blossom's stem joins the rest of the plant—in other words, remove not only the faded flower, but the tiny stem attached to it as well.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
10 May 2026
-
Next to the dog, a faded print of Big Ben, and a commemorative plate with the late Queen Elizabeth II smiling from nine different decades.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
Opponents of the proposal want the county to consider different locations for the park site, arguing the project may harm a variety of native species to the area, including the western spadefoot toad and pallid bats.—
Hannah Elsmore,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
4 May 2026
-
While disrupting the business of an American multinational company may seem a pallid response to the destruction of an Iranian primary school where more than a hundred children were killed, such asymmetric attacks in the physical and digital realms have been a feature of this conflict.—
Sue Halpern,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Still, even after the election, Magyar has remained relentlessly on message—which is to say, vague and tight-lipped, leaving several inconvenient dilemmas unaddressed.—
Andrew Marantz,
New Yorker,
9 May 2026
-
Later, Liu Kang himself seemingly dies in a showdown with Shao Kahn, although his fate is kept a bit more vague.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
Elsewhere, fibers are spun into thread, dyed, bleached, and rewoven into rugs, carpets and blankets.—
Ayushi Shah,
CNN Money,
9 May 2026
-
For instance, exposure to ultraviolet light caused most of the lighter and clear plastics to yellow and the darker ones to bleach.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 May 2026
Adjective
-
September 23 – October 22 A deeper feeling could interrupt your attempt to keep things light.—
Tarot.com,
The Orlando Sentinel,
15 May 2026
-
What could have easily made for an overwrought and even tragic read, however, is presented with a surprisingly light touch.—
Sheldon Pearce,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Looking beyond the main structure captured by Webb, the galaxy’s spiral arms extend into a faint, wide ring of hydrogen gas stretching thousands of light-years.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
10 May 2026
-
Meucci started seeing bright lights and feeling faint.—
Chris Hoffman,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
Verb
-
In terms of where to beach, wide stretches of sand in Beach Haven remain some of the Jersey Shore’s most desirable, drawing surfers at sunrise, families hauling coolers and striped umbrellas by midday, and sunset walkers lingering until the sky fades pink over the dunes.—
Jessica Chapel,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 May 2026
-
Inside, customers collect passport stamps, browse racks of worn leather and faded denim and line up for limited-edition tote bags tied to the second annual Vintage Store Day.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
15 May 2026
Noun
-
Earlier this year, the line was mostly green, meaning that a steel wall would traverse much of Big Bend National Park and Big Bend Ranch State Park.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
-
Riley was also robbed of extra bases in the second inning on a leaping catch at the wall by center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pale.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pale. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
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