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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pastel
Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
Adding a pastel floral design over top makes this the epitome of spring.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Kara Nesvig, Allure, 3 Mar. 2026
Opt for a baby pastel blue to still be close enough to a versatile neutral.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Adjective
The ceramic version comes in Cloud (off-white), Midnight (metallic black), Petal (blush pink), or Tide (pastel blue-green).
—Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 30 May 2026
Adding a pastel floral design over top makes this the epitome of spring.
—Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 28 May 2026
Noun
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
Opt for a baby pastel blue to still be close enough to a versatile neutral.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for pastel
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pastel
Adjective
-
One star is a pale orange and the other is a very distinct blue.—
Mike Lynch,
Twin Cities,
7 June 2026
-
Other signs include pale or yellow leaves all over, mushy stems, and visible fungus at the base of the plant.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
Noun
-
The artists shared a wide variety of techniques and mediums – pastel, watercolor, oil, acrylic and mixed media.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
-
The paint is deftly mottled but its handling lacks the prowess of her later work (see, for example, Being Beamed, 1984, a fantasia of extraterrestrial teleportation in which the watercolor is sumptuous but perfectly controlled).—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Adjective
-
That look-to-local approach can be seen here too, in the faded Turkish rugs on the floors and splashes of modern Turkish design—in particular, bright ikat cushions and throws—in the otherwise simple bedrooms.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
-
Prune Lightly to Maintain Shape Once the flowers become unattractive, clean up the plant's overall shape by selectively pruning branches and the faded blooms.—
Marie Iannotti,
The Spruce,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Displays show campaign ephemera and memorabilia, from Shepard Fairey’s iconic HOPE poster to children’s drawings.—
Jacqui Palumbo,
CNN Money,
4 June 2026
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The Supreme Court in that case found that Louisiana’s drawing of its own congressional maps was a racial gerrymander in its creation of a second majority-Black district.—
Dan Mangan,
CNBC,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Erica Donald’s three-word rebuttal on X to speculation about her husband playing football again was also light-hearted.—
Steve Henson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 June 2026
-
OpenAI in a blog post on Tuesday said it was not affiliated with the super PAC, which fights for lighter-touch AI regulation.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
4 June 2026
Noun
-
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
-
The artists shared a wide variety of techniques and mediums – pastel, watercolor, oil, acrylic and mixed media.—
Julie Gallant,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 June 2026
-
Adam and Eve After Cranach, 1971, an acrylic diptych modeled on Lucas Cranach the Elder’s 1526 painting of the titular couple.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastel. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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