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

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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
  • But our excitement fades as Nolan’s camera captures the men raping women, looting houses and reveling in the violence.
    — Brent Lang, Variety, 21 July 2026
  • Whether a circadian score becomes the next sleep score or fades as another wellness metric depends on how well the data actually changes behavior.
    — Hanna Wickes, Charlotte Observer, 21 July 2026
Definition of fades
Noun
  • With Cincinnati clearly swinging for the fences after an active offseason in hopes of maximizing quarterback Joe Burrow’s prime, Pitcher could receive an even larger spotlight.
    — Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • The area along the Cumberland River where more than 100 people once lived is now encircled by fences and no-trespassing signs.
    — Marissa J. Lang, NPR, 21 July 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
  • The walls, ceilings and kitchen are next, along with the windows.
    — Santul Nerkar, New York Times, 20 July 2026
  • Believing the Trojan Horse to be a peace offering, the officers drag the hollow figure inside the city walls and place it outside the Temple of Athena, which leads to Troy’s harrowing downfall hours later.
    — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 19 July 2026
Definition of walls
Verb
  • In this cocktail from Nguyen, Japanese rice vinegar’s gentle acidity brightens the drink without overpowering the other ingredients.
    — Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026
  • On sale for the first time in this emerald hue, this mixing bowl is a worthy upgrade to an everyday kitchen staple that can also double as a fruit bowl that brightens up your kitchen with a pop of color.
    — Maggie Horton, PEOPLE, 18 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
  • The data reaches only people who use cards and apps, and the hardest barriers are consent, privacy law and access to records held by companies rather than health agencies.
    — John Drake, Forbes.com, 22 July 2026
  • The venue launched careers, broke genre barriers, and helped cement Austin’s identity as the Live Music Capital of the World.
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 21 July 2026
Definition of barriers
Noun
  • Sprinkle dust on lawn, underneath hedges, in vegetable gardens, and other areas of dense vegetation.
    — Barbara Gillette, The Spruce, 22 July 2026
  • There, King Charles works with head gardener Gráinne Ring and her team of 15, including apprentices, to cultivate the 15 acres of blooms, hedges, trees and more.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 22 July 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 27 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of pales for Spanish Speakers

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