pales 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of pale
as in fades
to make white or whiter by removing color the sun eventually paled my bright blue shirt

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pales

2 of 2

noun

plural of pale
as in fences

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 pales
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
  1. fades
  2. fences
  3. bleaches
  4. walls
  5. brightens
  6. lets
  7. barriers
  8. hedges
Verb
  • Every successful technology eventually fades into the background while those fundamentals remain.
    — Michael Edmondson, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Even after his offence fades, Bouchard’s ability to move the puck out of the zone will have high value.
    — Allan Mitchell, New York Times, 31 July 2026
Definition of fades
Noun
  • Too Much Vertical Hardscaping Walls and fences are conspicuous boundaries.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Aug. 2026
  • For more than a decade now, European and indeed American politicians have known that real, fake, enhanced, or context-free pictures of migrants jumping fences will immediately create a wave reaction.
    — Anne Applebaum, The Atlantic, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of fences
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
Definition of bleaches
Noun
  • At the Base of Trees and Shrubs Fences and rock walls aren’t the only structures poison ivy likes to climb.
    — Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The greybeards will take on the suicide mission of storming the castle walls, erecting ladders, and invading the city while arrows and rocks rain down on them.
    — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of walls
Verb
  • Its dewy coverage gives cheeks a bright, doll-like, natural flush that highlights the cheekbones and brightens complexions.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 1 Aug. 2026
  • Saturated without feeling loud, the playful hue transforms the Moss table and chairs into a statement set that brightens the whole room (though a natural Birch finish is also available for color skeptics).
    — Vy Yang, Architectural Digest, 31 July 2026
Definition of brightens
Noun
  • Easing in lets kids absorb the energy gradually, gives you time to find your seats, hit the bathroom and grab snacks or merch without missing the opening notes.
    — Lauren Schuster, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 June 2026
  • Reaching out and sharing what’s going on lets in the light.
    — R. Eric Thomas, Mercury News, 7 June 2026
Definition of lets
Noun
  • Not one of those barriers is solved by a stronger ROI argument.
    — Owen Fitzpatrick, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Keep channels open, reduce barriers and normalize real, respectful dialogue and reward thoughtful dissent, not just agreement or comfortable silence.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of barriers
Noun
  • That plate went back and forth through the hedges between our houses for years.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 6 Aug. 2026
  • Boxwood shrubs are a great option for pristine hedges and natural privacy screens, elevating your landscaping with their bright green foliage and clean appearance.
    — Samantha Johnson, Martha Stewart, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of hedges

Browse Nearby Words

paleoconservatives
pales
paling
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Cite this Entry

“Pales.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pales. Accessed 11 Aug. 2026.

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