pastel 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of pastelnext
as in pale
lacking intensity of color a pastel blue to go with the pale pink walls

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

pastel

2 of 2

noun

as in watercolor

Related 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 pastel
Adjective
Now, as someone who governs less radically than feared and is on the cusp of becoming Italy’s longest-serving postwar leader, Meloni often wears pastel-colored suits with wide-legged trousers that cover her high heels. — ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026 The sky is painted pastel, and the waves rear up 20-feet-high before thundering onto the shore, over and over. — Charley Ward, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Aug. 2026
Noun
While the pastel was trending earlier this year, it’s officially been overtaken by its more summery sister. — Jake Henry Smith, Glamour, 24 June 2026 Among pop-up bars, bandstands and opulent, 19th century spa buildings painted in sherbet pastels, the Karlovy Vary Intl. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 21 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for pastel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastel
  1. pale
  2. watercolor
  3. faded
  4. drawing
  5. light
  6. gouache
  7. tempera
  8. acrylic
Adjective
  • Still, all the traumas that informed the album pale in comparison to losing Snider in November 2025.
    — Josh Crutchmer, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
  • And all the colorways are so cute, from the pale blue and gray to the unexpected burgundy and violet combo.
    — Cheryl Wagemann, InStyle, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of pale
Noun
  • Shawkat wore an airy sundress with watercolor yellow and black-and-white leaf panelling, with her own pair of white stripe adidas.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 13 Aug. 2026
  • And then actually looked at a friend of Jane’s who is a watercolor artist that works in circles and different shapes.
    — Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of watercolor
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, the Remarkably Bright Creatures star, 33, embraced a warmer approach, with off-white jeans and a faded blue shirt under a dark blue chore jacket.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Inside the homes, sunlight falls on faded posters, worn furniture, and an old radio by a window.
    — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of faded
Noun
  • Their stories were told through drawings, comic books, artwork, photographs, letters, even puppets.
    — Tess Kenny, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Sure, there are way too many people asking for drawings of obscure anime characters that are nearly impossible to pull off with the bare-bones MS-Paint-like tool in two-and-a-half minutes.
    — Terrence O'Brien, The Verge, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of drawing
Adjective
  • Kodali said drones could prove more useful for certain light-weight deliveries that are needed urgently like prescription medications.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 19 Aug. 2026
  • The battery is smaller, lighter and cleverer than most rivals.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of light
Noun
  • The tarot is a full 78-card deck, with each card an original work of art, usually a composite of gouache painting and collage/lithography.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 July 2026
  • The first iteration of the lottery was won by Jeffrey Gonano, a 25-year-old man from a suburb of Pittsburgh, who won a L’Homme au Gibus (1914), also a gouache on paper.
    — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of gouache
Noun
  • This will be followed by a final period in Florence to learn the technique and historical evolution of egg tempera, to acquire ancient handweaving skills and expand her knowledge of its applications in the ecclesiastic context.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 7 May 2026
  • The decision to paint with tempera, the same medium used to create those Arabic maps, proved fortuitous.
    — Zoe Si, New Yorker, 19 Dec. 2025
Definition of tempera
Noun
  • More recently, Jacobs has donned long, clickety-clackety acrylic nails, a true fashion doyenne, and now favors his growing collection of tweed jackets.
    — José Criales-Unzueta, Vanity Fair, 18 Aug. 2026
  • It’s made from nylon, acrylic, wool, and viscose, which blends the warmth and coziness of real wool with a soft, comfortable feel that’s easy to wear all day—no matter what the forecast says.
    — Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 18 Aug. 2026
Definition of acrylic

Browse Nearby Words

pasted
pastel
pastels
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Cite this Entry

“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastel. Accessed 21 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on pastel

Nglish: Translation of pastel for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pastel

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