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
There are several different cultivars to choose from, and the blue, white and pastel pink colors available are very versatile when combined with other garden plants. — Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026 The three bedroom, two bath, 1,850-square-foot condo, one of a string of Venetian, pastel beachfront homes, is listed for $3,995,000. — Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
Isla Fisher shines in pastel pink at the Serpentine Summer Party on June 23 in London. — Brendan Le, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 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 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
  • Its exterior styling is modern and Scandinavian-like, with a steel base, pale thermally treated timber, and a metal roof.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Social media posts claim that the signs of iron deficiency, including a pale complexion, hair loss and dry skin are identifiable as ferritin face.
    — Amanda Schupak, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of pale
Noun
  • For São Paulo, Paulino moved from watercolor on paper to painting on canvas, scaling her drawings up to nearly 9 feet by 20 feet.
    — Tatiane de Assis, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026
  • In today’s commercial age of plenty, the most important task of the dust jacket is to match a book to your mood, from the pastoral watercolor tones of the travel narrative or cosy domestic romance, to the dark hues of the murder mystery.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of watercolor
Adjective
  • Investigators described him as a white male in his late 50s, with a scruffy, gray beard who was wearing a faded blue baseball cap.
    — Dan Raby, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The landscape flowed in ridges and mountains of faded yellow and whisper pink, where welwitschia–large, low-lying plants that live to be hundreds of years old–sprawled like relics from a Dune film set.
    — Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of faded
Noun
  • That isn’t unusual for someone who draws and paints every day — but this latest dirt is real, dug from the ground in Yorkshire and Warwickshire, England, and used as the medium for her drawings of trees and landscapes.
    — Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2026
  • While Schwartz retells classic folklore tales with humor and goosebumps in equal measure, Gammell’s powerful drawings nudge children wordlessly toward the ghoulish.
    — Liz Rosenberg, The Conversation, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of drawing
Adjective
  • The bike could surely be quite a bit lighter without the folding capability, but Lectric has made the entire Trike2 range foldable, so that's that!
    — Loz Blain October 26, New Atlas, 27 Oct. 2026
  • To speed up the mission and reduce risk, the initial moon walkers will wear a lighter, less complex space suit than the one still under development by Axiom Space for longer, subsequent excursions.
    — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of light
Noun
  • Christie’s estimates the large, rare tempera and gouache painting of a festive, folkloric Russian scene, which Kandinsky made in Paris, will fetch over $30 million.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of gouache
Noun
  • Christie’s estimates the large, rare tempera and gouache painting of a festive, folkloric Russian scene, which Kandinsky made in Paris, will fetch over $30 million.
    — Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of tempera
Noun
  • With iPolish, a single set of smart press-on acrylic nails can switch between hundreds of colors in seconds using electronic display technology.
    — Nina Derwin, Time, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The most water-repellent plastics, polyethylene and polypropylene, were the most active, while PET and acrylic, which contain chemical groups that attract water, were the least.
    — Jacek Krywko, ArsTechnica, 15 Oct. 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 27 Oct. 2026.

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