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
as in watercolor
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pastel
Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
The mom-of-two—who shares 9-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with husband George Clooney—kept the pastel palette going with a soft iridescent lavender shade on her eyelids and cheekbones and a mauve lip, courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Kevin Giraud, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Her lips were lined with a dark greige liner, but instead of a pale pink, prismatic pastel, or shimmery beige lip color, Smith opted for a color-changing gold that flashed with metallic champagne tones in one light and warm, fiery orange in others, depending on the angle and the light.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Adjective
The 35-room Villa Miraé is a much-welcome exception that mirrors the peninsula’s tony mansions with its elegant take on the Riviera’s pastel Provençal architecture.
—Lane Nieset, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2026
The mom-of-two—who shares 9-year-old twins Ella and Alexander with husband George Clooney—kept the pastel palette going with a soft iridescent lavender shade on her eyelids and cheekbones and a mauve lip, courtesy of Charlotte Tilbury.
—Lara Walsh, InStyle, 13 June 2026
Noun
The trio wanted to speak to children directly, and using oil pastel was part of their approach.
—Kevin Giraud, Variety, 27 Mar. 2026
Her lips were lined with a dark greige liner, but instead of a pale pink, prismatic pastel, or shimmery beige lip color, Smith opted for a color-changing gold that flashed with metallic champagne tones in one light and warm, fiery orange in others, depending on the angle and the light.
—Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastel
Adjective
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The royal siblings coordinated with their mother, whose pale blue Catherine Walker ensemble echoed the soft blue tones in George and Louis' matching ties and the delicate light blue detailing woven throughout Charlotte's cream dress.—
Stephanie Petit,
PEOPLE,
13 June 2026
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In a well-hydrated person, urine should appear pale yellow.—
Lisa Fitzpatrick,
Forbes.com,
13 June 2026
Noun
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To its right is a watercolor painting of the Gila River War Relocation Center in Arizona, where many members of the family were forcibly transported to and imprisoned during World War II.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
10 June 2026
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In that same spirit, VF worked with Muñoz to create artistic portraits in pencil, watercolor, and acrylic at the dinner.—
José Criales-Unzueta,
Vanity Fair,
9 June 2026
Adjective
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Police say that the suspect's vehicle has a faded convertible top, no rear window, chrome-and-red European-style taillights and chrome rims.—
Dean Fioresi,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
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Next to a limp rack of sleeveless tops stands a postapocalyptic forager-warrior mannequin in jeans, a faded plaid shirt, and a black baseball cap from the plus-size-women’s brand Torrid.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
12 June 2026
Noun
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Rodriguez has been developing the concept for more than a decade, based on drawings and stories created with and for his children.—
Pat Saperstein,
Variety,
18 June 2026
-
Making Art Creative activities like painting or drawing activate multiple regions of the brain.—
Mark Gurarie,
Verywell Health,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
One light source between the two of them.—
Alan Gionet,
CBS News,
18 June 2026
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Entry-level personal reputation management typically starts at roughly $3,000 to $5,000 per month and can cover monitoring, review management, and light suppression.—
Jason Phillips,
USA Today,
17 June 2026
Noun
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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
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Ari Hodara, a 59-year-old software engineer from Paris, won Tête de femme (1941), or head of a woman, a gouache-on-paper portrait, according to Reuters.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
15 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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
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Use a paintbrush or your finger to cover the egg with tempera paint.—
Annabelle Canela,
Parents,
14 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Crosby used acrylic paint, colored pencils, charcoal, and transfers on paper to create the massive 9-by-10 piece.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Made of clear acrylic, the entire back wall of the pool serves as a window into the wonderland around you.—
Stefanie Waldek,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastel. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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