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
In Corfu, days were spent hiking to the island's best beaches, wandering through pastel old-town streets, and stopping for long lunches in mountain villages. — Ariana Dickson, Travel + Leisure, 27 June 2026 Just ask Michelle Obama, who sported a pastel shade at the opening ceremony of the Barack Obama Presidential Center, or Swift, who added clouds to her azure manicure for the Toy Story 5 premiere and Knicks playoff game. — María Diez, Vogue, 26 June 2026
Noun
Over the years, the grocery store chain has offered several variations of the viral totes—from pastel to Halloween-inspired. — Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 15 June 2026 The look features a sheer, milky pink shade that sits between a soft blush and a creamy pastel. — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 15 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
  • The room, its walls expensively craquelure'd to resemble fractured eggshells, its pale taffeta curtains billowing in the chill English breeze, is more Hollywood boudoir than office.
    — Hamish Bowles, Vogue, 5 July 2026
  • But when taken together, our present divisions pale in comparison to the historical record.
    — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 5 July 2026
Definition of pale
Noun
  • Choose a soothing activity, maybe watercolor, music, cooking, or a quiet walk, and give it your full attention so your spirit settles.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 5 July 2026
  • Take the look even further by pairing it with trending tones and techniques, like sheer jelly bases or watercolor renditions of your go-to berry.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 3 July 2026
Definition of watercolor
Adjective
  • Eric_Lynxweiler | Courtesy of Latinos in Heritage Conservation The Silver Platter, with its faded crimson awning along a stretch in Los Angeles’ Westlake District, doesn’t look like much from the outside.
    — R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
  • The faded fabric, buttery-soft cotton, and contrast-trim neckline lend it a vintage vibe that won’t look out of place when paired with more contemporary pieces.
    — Irene Richardson, InStyle, 28 June 2026
Definition of faded
Noun
  • The ticket matched four winning numbers and/but not the Mega Ball in the drawing Friday, July 3, with a 3x multiplier, the California State Lottery said.
    — Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2026
  • Saturday’s Fantasy 5, Florida Lotto and Powerball drawings begat one jackpot winner.
    — David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 5 July 2026
Definition of drawing
Adjective
  • The bottom offers comfortable tummy control, and the sheer butterfly sleeves offer light, breathable sun protection across my shoulders.
    — Laurie Lyons-Makaimoku, Travel + Leisure, 8 July 2026
  • Since the homemade icing on the cake is so sweet, and the real star of the show, my mom always opts for a lighter chocolate cake mix, like milk chocolate, instead of dark chocolate or fudge.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 8 July 2026
Definition of light
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
  • 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
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
  • Use a paintbrush or your finger to cover the egg with tempera paint.
    — Annabelle Canela, Parents, 14 Mar. 2026
Definition of tempera
Noun
  • The oil-and-acrylic painting was created, in part, with the aid of artificial intelligence.
    — Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 8 July 2026
  • The Johnson-Sea-Link was a research submersible with a clear acrylic sphere that gave its pilot and observer a panoramic view of the deep.
    — Bill Gourgey, Popular Science, 2 July 2026
Definition of acrylic

Browse Nearby Words

pasted
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pastels
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Cite this Entry

“Pastel.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pastel. Accessed 13 Jul. 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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