as in fades
to make white or whiter by removing color
the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt
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Recent Examples of pales
ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
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
His county’s population has grown by roughly by 32% since 1990, which pales in comparison with statewide growth of 74%.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
And the scale of this pullback still pales next to its 75% collapse during the 2021–2022 bear market.
—Emily Nicolle, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
And for those who do manage to build a large emergency fund, the balance often pales in comparison to what a common medical procedure could cost, Volk said.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Chicago only has 10 cranes in the sky, which pales in comparison to other major cities.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Applebee’s recently managed its first quarter of same-store sales growth after eight consecutive declines, a faint improvement, but one that pales in comparison to the surge at Chili’s or the steady gains at Olive Garden.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Verb
While the prevalence of carfentanil still pales in comparison to fentanyl, experts are nevertheless alarmed by the increase of a substance researched for years as a chemical weapon and deployed by Russian forces on Chechen separatists in 2002.
—ABC News, 17 Apr. 2026
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
His county’s population has grown by roughly by 32% since 1990, which pales in comparison with statewide growth of 74%.
—Bill Barrow, Los Angeles Times, 4 Jan. 2026
And the scale of this pullback still pales next to its 75% collapse during the 2021–2022 bear market.
—Emily Nicolle, Fortune, 23 Nov. 2025
And for those who do manage to build a large emergency fund, the balance often pales in comparison to what a common medical procedure could cost, Volk said.
—Berkeley Lovelace Jr, NBC news, 22 Oct. 2025
Chicago only has 10 cranes in the sky, which pales in comparison to other major cities.
—James Brizuela, MSNBC Newsweek, 8 Sep. 2025
Applebee’s recently managed its first quarter of same-store sales growth after eight consecutive declines, a faint improvement, but one that pales in comparison to the surge at Chili’s or the steady gains at Olive Garden.
—Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 6 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pales
Verb
-
Whether a play endures or fades is fickle.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
12 June 2026
-
Mattus notes that asters are a smart investment for September and October color when the rest of the garden fades.—
Rachel Silva,
Martha Stewart,
11 June 2026
Noun
-
The route to the public park beyond is wide, and the lush green baseball field, next to woodlands, is complete with a batting cage, fences, and stands.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
12 June 2026
-
Cows stand behind fences at Hooves and Feathers Petting Farm.—
Thomas Lake,
AJC.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
His owner, Hannah Gleason from Oklahoma, told Newsweek that the merle gene isn’t a coloring gene rather than a gene that bleaches the fur and causes lack of pigmentation which can lead to birth defects, blindness, deafness, or sometimes all three.—
Maria Azzurra Volpe,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
The walls that aren’t subject to preservation are sheathed in vast Claro walnut panels of a sinuous, almost figurative grain.—
Helen Rosner,
New Yorker,
14 June 2026
-
Textured walls and ceilings were also a flop with design pros in the kitchen.—
Cori Sears,
The Spruce,
14 June 2026
Verb
-
This topical antioxidant targets dark spots and brightens the skin.—
Maggie Horton,
PEOPLE,
12 June 2026
-
Unlike a typical lotion, this product not only moisturizes the skin, but also firms, smooths, and brightens it as well.—
Isabel Bekele,
InStyle,
10 June 2026
Noun
-
Reaching out and sharing what’s going on lets in the light.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Mercury News,
7 June 2026
-
The other lets go of a red balloon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The British Government is desperate to make progress in tearing down trade barriers.—
Anand Menon,
Time,
13 June 2026
-
While most Americans now live in states with some form of legal cannabis access, federal law continues to create significant barriers.—
Peter Su,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
-
For a more natural look, use hedges, arborvitae, or tall grasses as a living screen.—
Sheila Kim,
The Spruce,
15 June 2026
-
The rotations were sharp, hedges were hard and defensive possessions ended one-and-done.—
Fiifi Frimpong,
New York Daily News,
14 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pales. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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